Without You
by Fredlyn
Summary: ML&CC: Liz left Roswell and Max has turned away from his humanity. Will finding her help him discover what he has lost, or will it just make things worse? Pt 34 up! BTW my parts got all screwed up so now they are put up 1to10, 11to20, 21to30, then rest.
1. Chapter 1 to 10

Episode Refresher

From "Destiny"

Liz, when I was in that room, and they did what they did to me. You're what kept me alive. The thought of you. The way your eyes look into mine. Your smile. The touch of your skin. Your lips. Knowing you has made me human.

From "Baby It's You"

MAX: Tess, did you kill Alex?

TESS: Max.

MAX: What were you doing on the night that he died?

LIZ: Will you stop it!

MAX: Go ahead! what were you doing!

KYLE: She was with me. We were watching Gladiator on video.

MAX: An alibi. From one of your own.

LIZ: Can I leave now?

MAX: Yep.

That night, Liz walked out of the house and disappeared.

Teaser (7years later)

Her tears were so heartbreaking; her lips were so full and soft. "Fuck it!" He couldn't resist any longer. He knew that he had to heal the pain. He gabbed her, pulled her to him and kissed her. He needed to kiss her. He needed to be one with her. He needed the connection that he once shared with her. He needed to find her and his humanity. She resisted at first but he held on. He held on to her as if both their lives depended on it. He was determined to find the connection, to find the answers and to find himself. He could feel her as she stopped her resistance, as she put her arms around him and kissed him back. She kissed him with the same urgency, as if she was also looking for the connection, but it didn't come. He stopped and looked at her, tears brimming in both their eyes, they both felt then that the connection was lost forever. They lost everything these years they had been apart, she lost her memory, he lost his humanity, they had lost their hope, their reason for living, but they had lost something much more important, the ability to heal each other and with it their destiny. Would they ever be able to find it again?

Part 1

6-1/2 Years later.

Rain was threatening when Serena sat down at her friends table in front of the St. Louis Cathedral. "Madam Abigail will I get laid tonight?"

Gail looked across the table at her friend. "Let's see, give me your hand." Serena offered Gail her hand. "You are beautiful and sexy and you will be drinking, you will wake up with someone in the morning."

"God I hope not - I really try to kick them out before daybreak." She took her hand back and looked up at the sky. . ." Laplie tombe, ouaouaron chante." Gail looked at her questioningly. Serena answered the gaze. "When the rain is coming, the bull-frogs sing.. Sorry - thank my dearly departed mother for making me learn French, well the Creole dialect at least. Most of the upper crust here in New Orleans learn real French but my mother insisted that we learn the "old" ways. Lucky me!"

Gail giggled at that. Serena was the upper crust. She owned one of the more historical houses in the Vieux Carre. If you went on a tour of the old homes in New Orleans you could hear how Serena ended up with the house but she would never tell you. Actually Serena never talked about herself much at all. She was just a fun loving party girl with (what seemed to be) a torrid past, but no one (not even Gail, one of her closest friends) really knew anything about it. There had been clues over the years and people did talk but nothing was more then a rumor. What you saw with Serena was what you got - and nothing more. Gail, a psychic could not even read her. She had tried but all she ever got was images of parties and men, everything got dark and foggy beyond that. Gail figured that Serena had built a wall around her inner self to protect her from the past. Madame Cassandra, Gail's savior and mentor, had always said that was why Gail and Serena got a long so well. Gail had a wall too. Gail of course would complain to Cassandra that her "wall" was not one of her own making. Cassandra would always tell her that her memory loss was of course one of her own making - she just didn't remember making it. When and if the time came that she needed the memories back, they would come. This was never a comfort to Gail but she accepted it because she really didn't have an argument against it.

Serena was continuing to babble. "So Boo, it's about to rain - you need to quit. I was hoping that you would be going out with us tonight. I have tourists in but after we make the obligatory run to Pat O's we can actually go somewhere fun - maybe karaoke at the Cat's Meow. Tourists always like that and so do you."

"You can actually sing. Since I can't, I don't fantasize about singing old 80's songs in public."

"Oh you always have fun - even if you won't sing. Anyway, I'm buying the tequila."

Gail thought about it. She wasn't tired and once the rain started she wouldn't have anymore customers. "I'll go - where should we meet."

"Just go get your clothes and get dressed at my house. It's closer to Bourbon anyway. Then tonight you can just stay in one of the guest rooms. You know how I love lots of company."

"Yeah - ok - I'll pack up and be there in about an hour."

"See you then babe."

Max was asleep at the compound when all of a sudden he woke up to yelling. Michael and Maria were at it again. He got out of bed, pulled on some clothes, and walked downstairs. They were in the kitchen yelling about the milk or some other idiotic thing. Max entered the room, unnoticed. "What the HELL is going on in here!" he asked.

Maria cringed when she heard Max's voice. She knew she should have kept her voice down. Max was always dismissive to her and the other humans but when he got up on the wrong side of the bed he was just plain mean all day. "I'm sorry Max." She said and started to walk out of the room.

"No Maria - you stay in here." Max commanded. "I want to know what was so fucking important that you needed to yell at the top of your lungs."

Michael tried to diffuse the situation. "Look Max it was me - I was irritating her on purpose. It won't happen again. I thought you were already awake. I'm really sorry."

Max was tired and figured he had made his point so he let it drop - he wasn't in the mood. He waved his hand, signaling Maria to leave. After she was gone he grabbed a drink from the fridge and sat down at the table. "Is the world coming to an end today?"

"Not yet - but only a few have checked in. It just might be a slow day."

Max was tired of the battles but it was his life and he accepted it. Other's had come, some to help, some to destroy turning his world on earth into a battleground. He had the naive belief, a long time ago, that the Skins would be the last of them but Khivar had sent more. Each looking for the Granolith. Max had a group of scientists researching it but he still didn't understand what was so damn important about it. They had to move it a few years ago when the traitor told Khivar where it was and now no one knew exactly where to find it except the Royal Four. Even the scientists didn't know. Ava would mind warp most of them so they would not remember anything about it when they were done being useful. The rest Langley took care of. Max had wanted to just kill them all but Isabel and Ava had a fit, threatening to leave if he didn't find another way. He had agreed only when Ava convinced him that she could keep them from ever remembering anything. It was ironic; he was the one who pulled his "family" kicking and screaming into the human world and in the end they had all made the choice to embrace humanity while he had chosen to detest it. He allowed the others to have their humans, but only because he needed the four together. "I'm going out. Have Isabel contact me if anything comes up."

"Sure." Michael answered, relieved that Max was leaving.

"Another round!" Serena yelled to the bartender. They were all having a great time. Gail had been dancing with the guys while Serena and the other girl would go sing.

Gail turned towards Serena. "No laughing but I am having trouble remembering your friend's names."

Serena smiled and started handing out the drinks. "This is Rich, Ron, Greg, and Chelle."

"And which one are you going to bed with tonight?" Gail asked under her breath, laughing at everything now.

"What makes you think . . ." Gail gave her another knowing look. "ok - Ron, Rich and Chelle belong together and before you ask - you are not being set up with Greg - Miss Pure - but you are welcome to him if you want him. He wouldn't say no - he thinks you are cute."

"God I hate that word." Serena was always referred to as beautiful and sexy, Gail was always cute.

"So have you decided to sing?"

"No way in hell, I'll just be a groupie."

"Suit yourself babe." Serena turned to Ron. "Paradise?"

Ron just smiled, gulped down his shot and followed Serena to the stage."

Gail turned to Chelle. "So this guy sings too?"

"He has always had a hard time saying no to her and she needs a man to sing Paradise by the Dashboard Light. She's always loved that song."

Gail just nodded. She knew even drunk that Serena's friends would never talk about her past. She didn't know if it was because Serena swore them to secrecy or if they were as much in the dark as she was.

Max turned to the woman lying in his bed. He had thought she was pretty earlier that night but now she just disgusted him. "I'm done. You can leave now." The woman looked at him like she was going to cry but she got up out of the bed and started to put on her clothes. She came over to kiss him but he just moved away from her so she couldn't.

"This is the last time, Max."

Max just shrugged, got up and walked to his bathroom. He heard the bedroom door slam a few minutes later. He laughed. There were a lot more where she came from. Max had learned a long time ago that being cruel was the easiest was to rid himself of the bitches. Hell, all they wanted from him was to be a queen anyway. Well, there was only one Queen Bitch and Max had killed her off years ago. He kind of smiled at that thought. If these women knew that being his queen might be the death of them then he might not have to be cruel at all. Maybe he would have Langley start telling everyone how Tess died. Of course then it would be harder to find someone to come to his bed. Maybe not though - he was still king.

Gail woke up feeling queasy and uneasy. That is what she called it when she was hung over and she had another dream. The dream was always the same. She would have a feeling of complete terror and then a man with beautiful dark eyes would come to her and tell her that everything would be ok. The man would make her feel safe but then, as quickly as he appeared, he would disappear into oblivion and she would be alone waiting for the terror. She didn't know which part of the dream bothered her more. The terror or the man. They both seemed so real but the man was something tangible.

She walked out of her bedroom in Serena's house and down the back stairs to the kitchen. She needed some water and some Excedrin. She heard music in the living room and decided to go through there on the way back.

"Queasy and uneasy again?" Serena was sitting in the dark alone on the floor of her living room listening to some obscure misery music (that was what Gail called it.) Serena's mood was always up until the alcohol started wearing off - then she had this ritual. That was the good thing about Serena, Gail never asked why she sat in the dark and Serena never asked about Gail's dreams. It was kind of like an unspoken rule. "You want to sit?"

Gail sat down next to Serena. She listened to the music for a while.

Serena started. "So I've heard you scream out during your dreams. I'm not going to ask you about them and tomorrow I won't even bring up this conversation but you can always talk to me if you want." Gail nodded as Serena continued. "You know, I was at Harvard for a while in the pre-med program. I don't want you to be impressed or anything, the reason I'm telling you is that I still have a lot of friends from back then and I don't want you to think they are quacks. Anyway, if you ever want, I can make some calls, they may be able to help you get your memories back."

Gail nodded but ignored the offer. "So why did you leave Harvard?"

"I just didn't like it. I got involved with Physics and transferred to another school."

"You left Harvard?" Gail couldn't believe it. "For what? MIT?"

Serena smiled. "Actually - yes."

"Your serious? I can't believe you would do that. I always wanted to go to Harvard."

"Always? What does that mean? You only remember the last three years."

"Oh my God! I don't know where that came from. Do you think that is a memory?"

Serena just giggled like a school girl. "Gail I think you had a memory! We should talk science. Maybe you were a science geek like me."

"I doubt you were ever a geek. So ask me something."

As the night wore on it became apparent that Gail was a "science geek" before she lost her memory. She wasn't as knowledgeable as Serena but she could keep up and when she didn't understand something Serena only had to explain it once or twice and Gail would catch on. It was so wonderful. Finally, Gail got up. "I'll let you get to bed. I've kept you up most of the night and you have your friends to entertain today."

"It's ok. I am having fun. Hell, the misery music has been off for a while and I don't even care. This has been good for me too. Plus I never really sleep much. Hey - let's go make breakfast."

"What do you mean let's go make breakfast? You don't cook."

"Ok what I meant to say is let's go get up Greg. He is a wonderful cook and we can talk to him while he does it. We might even be able to pour some juice or something."

Gail laughed. "He's your friend, you go wake him and I'll start the coffee."

"We lost two who were on a reconnaissance mission and one of the scientists couldn't be mind warped anymore."

Max listened as Langley gave his daily report. "You took care of it?"

"Yes I did but we are going to need a replacement or two."

"Suggestions?"

"Well I had two but since the men came back there only seems to be one. Dr. Baptiste, lives in New Orleans. No known family, only one close friend and she has a habit of disappearing every once in a while." Langley handed Max a picture that was taken for surveillance. "That's her -that's the friend - easy enough to deal with. I can make it look like a mugging."

Max threw the picture down without looking. He really could care less what this woman looked like or who the friend was. "That's fine. Let me know when you have her. Anything else?"

"No sir. That is all for now." Langley turned and walked out of the room.

Gail sat at her table. It was still early and she had had a string of customers but she was tired and still feeling bad from the alcohol she consumed the night before. To top it all off when she had finally gotten to her spot an artist had tried to move in on it. God she wanted to go home but there was rent to pay so she stayed. Serena came by to say hi. "If I have one more teenage girl come by and ask me if her boyfriend is cheating on her - I'm going to scream."

Serena laughed. "I suppose you are still feeling the effects of last night's tequila."

"Hell yeah. You really need to make me stop once in a while."

"Hey, I'm not your mother or even your older sister - not my job. It's hard enough to make sure you don't go home with freaks."

"Well, Serena darlin', thank you so much for keeping me from freaks."

"Anytime. Going out tonight?"

Actually, I think I might be able to get a good night's sleep for once."

"Suit yourself Boo. Cila qui rit vendredi va pleure dimanche. Sorry, doing it again. He who laughs on Friday will cry on Saturday. If you change your mind . . . ."

"I won't - not tonight - maybe tomorrow."

"Ok then - later."

"He's inhuman, Michael!" Maria was so tired of Michael's loyalty towards Max. "He had that scientist killed because Ava couldn't mind warp him anymore. The man was innocent."

Michael didn't know what to say. He knew Maria was right but he understood why Max had done it. "The man was not innocent! Max makes the tough decisions so no one else has to. Cut him some slack."

"Oh yeah - I forgot - we should be thankful. Next time I see the son of a bitch I'll be sure to remember to thank him."

"Maria, don't start. I don't want to have to worry about what Max might do to you."

"What? Will he kill me too? What if I wanted to leave? Would he let me?"

Michael looked worried. He actually didn't know anymore if he could stop Max from killing her, not after what Liz had done. "Do you want to leave?"

Maria softened some. "No I don't want to leave, I love you, but I'm tired of living like this."

Michael wrapped his arms around Maria to soothe her. "I know, I know." He bent down and kissed her.

Gail awoke from her dream and couldn't get back to sleep. Her dream or the man in it, woke her up and now kept her awake. She looked at the clock. 1:00am. She got out of bed and pulled on some jeans. She was going for a walk to try and clear her mind.

She walked towards the Quarter along the riverfront. She loved this area. Late at night, no one was ever around, it seemed so peaceful when just a few blocks away there was so much excitement going on. She was lost in her thoughts when she heard a very heated argument.

"DAMN IT SERA . . ."

Gail turned to look. In the distance she saw a rather large man screaming at Serena.

Serena looked crazed. "I DON'T KNOW! TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH I DON'T CARE!" Serena then muttered something else under her breath and started to walk away.

The man obviously wasn't done yet though. He grabbed Serena and pushed her up against a wall. He got right in her face. "WE ARE NOT FINISHED!"

Gail watched as Serena looked up at him. There was a kind of fierceness to her. She was not backing down. Gail was getting nervous. Was this man going to hurt her only friend? Visions were going through her mind of the night Madame Cassandra had been killed. She started to run towards the couple, screaming Serena's name. She was not going to lose another friend.

As she got closer she could hear Serena yelling at the man. "You left - you couldn't believe that the child was yours! Now you find out I wasn't the slut you thought I was and you want everything you lost. Well, too fucking bad!"

"Don't you get it? I came back."

"Oh yeah – I forgot – out of the goodness of your heart you came back to claim the bastard child. Thank you so much. I should kiss your feet now."

Gail stopped in her tracks. They were so engrossed in their argument that they hadn't seen her, but she was close enough to hear and see everything now. The man was the epitome of tall, dark and handsome. A little too rugged for Gail but still very good looking. She looked at his eyes. They were filled with anger but Gail saw beyond that. He couldn't hurt Serena.

He continued to yell at Serena. "You really don't get it – do you? I didn't come back out of the goodness of my heart. I came back because . . ."

Serena cut him off. "I don't want to hear it! It is just more of your lies."

"MY LIES! What about yours!"

"Whatever, this all really doesn't concern me anymore. I thought it might still but now I know it doesn't. Goodbye!" She turned again to walk away. That was when she saw Gail. Serena smiled at her although the anger was still in her eyes. "Hi there, I didn't see you there."

"That's ok. I shouldn't have sneaked up on you. I just saw you arguing and I thought you might be in some kind of danger." Gail looked up at the man and added "I'm really sorry."

He smiled at her. "That's ok." Then he turned to Serena. "I'm leaving but this is not finished." With that he pushed his way passed Serena and walked away.

Gail watched the man leave and then turned and looked questionly at Serena.

"That would be an ex. He's pissed."

Gail nodded her head - that seemed to be an understatement. She wasn't going to ask. Part of the friend's agreement but she couldn't say anything. "Is there something that I can do . . . do you want to talk about it?"

"Thanks babe. I appreciate it - but no - this war was over and done with a long time ago." Gail nodded again. She knew Serena wasn't telling the truth but she also knew that Serena wasn't going to discuss it - at least not tonight.

Serena looked at her. "Drink? My house?"

Gail smiled and nodded. They both could use one.

Max turned and saw the picture on the floor that Langley had given him. The doctor was pretty. Maybe he would have some fun with her while she was here. He picked it up to look closer and saw a face he thought that he would never see again. Standing there with Dr. Baptiste was the traitor, Liz Parker.

He opened the door and saw Langley standing at his post. He motioned for him to come into his room.

"Yes sir?"

Max picked up the picture and gave it to Langley. "The girl." He pointed to the traitor. "Is that the friend of Dr. Baptiste?"

"Yes."

"Her name?"

"Gail Walters. She's a psychic."

Max appeared to be thinking about this new information but he had already made his decision. "Will it cause anymore problems to bring her in with Dr. Baptiste?"

"No sir - it shouldn't."

"Then do it."

Gail and Serena were sitting at the island in Serena's kitchen. They had gone through half a bottle of tequila and they were feeling the effects. Serena was talking about her next trip. "So I have to go to Ohio tomorrow."

"What? You didn't tell me that. When will you be back?"

"Hey Boo – I just found out that I needed to go tonight and I honestly don't know when I'll be back."

Gail was kind of upset; Serena was the only person that she could talk to at all. Serena seemed to pick up on that. "Look Boo – the reason that I'm telling you is because I don't want you to worry about me when I'm gone tomorrow. After the episode tonight I was thinking about taking a break after Ohio and I was wondering if you would want to take a trip with me? Maybe Europe. We would have a blast!"

Gail looked at Serena with surprise. "You've got to be kidding. I can't afford to go to Europe. Even if I could pay for the trip I would lose my apartment in the process. I can't pay for it if I'm not working."

"Oh - please. I'm paying for you to go with me." Serena got up and got her checkbook out of her purse. "So - how much is your rent?"

Gail couldn't believe that Serena was offering to pay for such an expensive trip as well as paying Gail's bills while they were gone. "I really can't let you pay for all that. I'm going to stay here. Just make sure you send postcards once in a while."

"Look Boo - you showed me how much you cared tonight - you saved me from the wrath of my ex. So now I want to do something for you – plus I really want you to go with me. I'll have so much more fun with a friend."

Gail smiled. She felt all warm inside. She didn't know whether it was the tequila or knowing that she had a true friendship but she liked the feeling. "I didn't save you and I think you know it. That man would have never hurt you. He loves you more then his own life and I'm betting that you feel the same way about him."

Serena looked at Gail with a wistful look on her face. "Maybe your right but that will never change anything because contrary to the romantic ideal of love - it does not conquer all. Sometimes people can hurt the ones they love so much that no matter how much you love them or how much they love you, you can never find your way back to them. Now lets stop talking about my philosophies and talk about something more upbeat - will you please go with me?"

Gail smiled. "All right. I'll go."

As Gail walked home that night she thought about what Serena had said about true love. Maybe she was just naïve, but she was sure that Serena was wrong. Love could conquer all – you just had to let it. Once they got back from Europe Gail was going to ask Serena to call her doctor friends. It was time for her to remember everything. It was time to find love.

Max sat up all night looking at the picture that Langley had given him. The picture of the traitor. He had fought to sleep but couldn't. Memories now crowded his mind, memories that he thought disappeared years ago. He remembered saving her life, the first kiss, how she had proved over and over again that he could trust her – that she would do anything for him. He remembered the marvelous contentment of being with her and the overwhelming sadness when he wasn't. He remembered his humanity and how it started to slip away when he saw her in bed with another man. How it faded a little more when Alex had died and with him the friendship he had shared with her. He remembered the day she left, the fight they had right before. The anger he felt in seeing her talking to Tess and the fear in her eyes as he questioned her. She was so convinced that an alien killed Alex, and he was just as certain that it wasn't true. Ironically in the end it was an alien – hell it had been Tess - but by then she was gone.

Finally he remembered the total despair of knowing she had gone one step further and betrayed them all. How she had gone to Nicholas and finally to Khivar with information about them and the granolith. He had kept hope that she hadn't turned on them, that there was an explanation, until the day he had killed Nicholas and his thoughts went through him. He had seen her betrayal with his own mind. The despair that followed was overwhelming.

He had spent these last years pushing away humans. He had seen the differences between the species and had decided that humans were beneath him. He figured if the one person he loved, the one he had seen the soul of, could betray him then any of them, at any moment could turn on them. He would never connect, never trust, never care and certainly never love a human again. Especially not Liz Parker.

With that finally thought, a final reaffirmation really, sleep came.

Part 2

"Rain again. Sometimes I hate this time of year." Serena was disgusted. Both she and Gail had been standing in Serena's foyer waiting for her taxi.

"Are you sure you don't need me to do anything while you're gone?" Gail asked.

"No Boo – I have people for that, but thanks for offering." The taxi pulled up and Serena looked at Gail. "Well, guess I will see you in a week. I'll call you when I get there. Give me a hug now." Serena pulled Gail into a big bear-hug. "Thanks for being here to see me off. It's been a long time since I had someone do that for me."

Gail just smiled. She would miss her friend but she now had a trip of a lifetime waiting when Serena came back.

Serena locked up and then put her bag into the trunk of the cab and got into the backseat. "Bye – be good. Keep my boys busy while I'm gone." With that she waved and the taxi pulled away. 

Gail waved goodbye and turned to walk to Café du Monde. She needed some coffee and beignets before she went to work. It was going to be a long week without her friend but she had decided to pass the week working more then usual so she would have some extra money for the trip.

Max was poring over documents when Langley walked in. "Your Highness."

Max stopped and looked up. He hated when Langley addressed him using his title. That meant something was wrong. "Get it out." He ordered.

"It's Dr. Baptiste, she got away."

Max disgusted look was enough to tell Langley to tread lightly. "Explain."

"She was leaving town so the men I sent decided to seize the opportunity to pick her up without involving her psychic friend."

"And . . . "Anger was whelming up in Max.

"They waited until she was alone to strike but she knew they were there. When they went to grab her . . ."

"STOP! I think I have the picture. You sent humans, without explaining my orders about her friend, and they, being weak and stupid, were no match for one little weak woman. I want these men brought to me."

"Sire," Langley started "you are correct. I did send humans. I thought that the two of them could handle the situation. I take full responsibility for it and I will accept any punishment you decide."

"Are you getting soft Langley? Are you protecting humans now? I want these men brought to me!"

"You know I could care less about any of the humans, Sire, but I can't bring these men to you. One of them is dead, the other we're not sure about."

Max was surprised. From the picture he had seen, this doctor woman was about the size of the traitor. She had looked as if she couldn't hurt a fly. She certainly didn't look like someone who could kill. "This doctor – is she the reason the one is dead?"

"We're not sure of the details. All we know is that an hour ago one of the men called in and told us that she knew they were coming and she had put up a fight. They didn't get her and his partner was dead. He did say something about a wild man coming after him. The connection was lost after that. Langley stopped and waited for Max to respond. When he didn't he thought he better try to make this right. "The doctor probably just thinks she was almost a victim of a mugging. I'm sure she doesn't suspect anything. She will be back in New Orleans in 2 days. I will go back myself to make sure there are no mistakes this time."

"No I don't think so. I am going to go and get both of them. I'll make sure there are no mistakes."

"Sire, please allow me to at least go with you. We don't know enough about the situation for you to go alone."

Max didn't acknowledge Langley. He just turned back to his papers. "Dismissed."

With that, Langley walked slowly towards the door, nervously watching Max the whole way. Max had been known to kill for much less.

Serena had told Mutt that she was leaving. He had not been pleased but he was use to her disappearing acts. She hadn't called the airport. It was best to make the decision on where to go at the last minute in case anyone was watching her. The only thing she knew was that she would not go back to New Orleans. It was too dangerous and Gail was there. She could not/would not put Gail in danger. This was her problem not Gail's. Serena was amused at her thought process. It had been a long time since she had cared about someone enough to protect them. Gail was becoming more and more like a sister every day. "Maybe we were sisters in another life." Serena mumbled to herself. "Shut up – you're starting to sound like Cassandra."

She almost jumped out of her skin when her cell phone rang. Being attacked always made her a bit jumpy. She had to calm down before she left or she would make a mistake that she would regret for quite a while. "Hello."

"Sera – you're alright." It was Cassandra and the urgency in her voice told Serena that this was not a social call.

"Did someone call you or did you have a vision?"

"Both." Serena knew that was all she would get out of Cassandra. She was calling to tell her something and she was all business about it. "You must go back to New Orleans."

"Cassandra you can stop there. I'm will not go back and put Gail or anyone else in any danger! I'm just going to disappear for a while."

"Sera, this has nothing to do with La Rosa. This is not your fight; it is Gail's, though you must play your part. Gail is not ready. You have to go back. Let them take you but don't tell them anything. They have the power to enter your mind. Don't let them. Make sure you keep her from them."

"Cassandra, I'm no superhero. It's not my job to save anyone."

"Sera don't be foolish. We both know you will help anyone in need and I saw this in a vision. You must do it. Besides me you are the only person in this world that cares for her. There will be others but for now it is just you."

"Anything else?" Serena learned long ago that Cassandra's visions were never wrong. She knew she had to go.

Cassandra knew she had gotten through. "Yes. You cannot change what has been. Don't try."

Serena was frustrated. Cassandra might be like a mother to but her visions were bothersome. She was always cryptic about them, she only told a person what she thought they needed to know, but besides La Rosa there had never been one that involved Serena. La Rosa was her destiny – that was known – she had accepted it. Why did she have to take this on too?

Cassandra answered her silence. "Be careful. You will know when to trust them." With that, Cassandra hung up leaving Serena confused and annoyed.

Serena got up and called the airport. If she was going home there was no need to hide it.

Isabel had walked in just as Langley was leaving to declare her intentions. "I'm going to Boston to see Jessie."

Max really wasn't in the mood for this. "No your not. I have to go out of town; you need to stay here to deal with things."

Isabel was angry. "I haven't seen him in 3 months. I need to go. Have Michael take over."

"I'm taking him with me."

"Then let Jessie come here."

"Isabel you know that is not going to happen. We do not trust anyone as to our whereabouts."

"He's my husband. He has done nothing but help since we left Roswell. We owe it to him to trust him."

"WE OWE IT TO HIM! Hell, he gets his payment. He gets laid by an alien. What more does he want?"

"You are so crude. He's my husband! I know him inside and out. We can trust him, Max."

"NO!" Max was done talking about this. "You will not go to Boston; he will not come here! If this is a problem I can _solve_ it for you."

Isabel was mortified. Did her brother really just threaten to kill her husband? She still loved Max in spite of all the evil that had invaded him. She always rationalized that even though they had all experienced loss in this war, Max had lost more and endured more pain then the others. Oh, she had lost Alex and it still tore her up inside but there had been other's to share her pain, and she had found love again. Max never had that luxury; the war had come too fast; the weight of the world was placed directly on his shoulders assuring that he would never have time to morn and he would never have time to fall in love again.

When Alex died; he not only lost a friend but, when he couldn't save him, he had blamed himself. Later, he not only gave up his son, he had to kill his son's mother; he not only lost his soul mate, he had to come to terms with her turning against them. Through all of this, he suffered alone. He built an impenetrable wall around his heart. Because of this, she always forgave him; she always believed there was still a part of him, deep down, that was good. Now, though, with his last comment she wasn't sure.

He had seen the tears whelming up in her eyes but he couldn't let them affect him. He hardened his heart and put up his wall. Without any emotion he finally said "You're quiet but you're still here. Is there something else?"

Isabel couldn't think. For the first time in her life she was scared of her brother. Before she let the tears flow, she shook her head and ran from the room.

Part 3

Gail sat at Serena's piano, tapping on the keys, trying to play Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. "I really wish I could play. You really should teach me."

"Maybe someday. Right now we need to talk."

Gail looked up. Gail had been pleased when her friend had shown up at the Cathedral two days early. She had thought they would go out tonight. Have some drinks and talk about their upcoming trip but Serena had been on edge since Gail had shown up at her house. "What's up?"

"Something happened while I was gone. Someone attacked me."

Concern swept over Gail's face. She stood up and walked over to Serena putting her arm around her. "Are you ok? Did they . . ."

"No! Nothing like that. I'm ok." Serena walked across the room and sat on the sofa. Her words had to be chosen carefully to get Gail away from all of this. "It's just this might not have been random."

"You mean someone might be after you? Did you call the police? You need to if you haven't."

"I can't. It isn't anything they can help with. These people are beyond worrying about local law enforcement. I don't mean to worry you but, to be on the safe side, I need you to leave. I have a friend, Louie Hagan; he lives in New York . . ."

Gail couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I'm not leaving, not unless you're going with me!"

Oh God, this is exactly what Serena had worried about. She needed Gail to leave town, to go somewhere safe. Gail needed to be with someone who would keep her safe. "Please Boo. I can't worry about you during this. Please go." She pleaded.

"I am not going!"

Serena was at a loss. She knew she couldn't make her go; she had to salvage this fiasco somehow. "Fine we'll both leave, but until then you have to promise that you won't leave my side."

Gail looked at Serena. This seemed so important to her. She obviously was in trouble and she was trying to keep it from Gail. Gail would have none of that; if her friend was in trouble then she was going to be there to help her. "Fine, I will stay with you until we can leave as long as you promise to do the same."

Serena didn't like what that implied. "Look, Boo, I know you care about me and I love you for it but you have to promise that if anything happens, anything at all, you won't try anything. You will run. It's better if you get away and get help."

With that, Serena got up and went into her kitchen. When she came out a few minutes later she handed Gail an envelope. "The address and phone number on the envelope is Louie's and inside there is a note for him and some money for you. Promise me that if anything happens you will go to him. He will know how to help. Promise!"

"So, what the hell happened between you and Isabel last night?" Michael and Max were on the plane and Michael had decided this was a good place (being it was public) to find out why Isabel had been so upset this morning.

Max sighed, he thought they had left early enough that Michael wouldn't find out about his and Isabel's fight until they had gotten back, but that was obviously too much to hope for. "She wanted to go to Boston, I said no since we had to go to New Orleans."

"Max I know you don't want anyone else to know where we are based but Jessie has been an asset. In six years, he has never done anything that would make us question his loyalty. He really loves Isabel. Why don't we just let him come and stay with her when he wants?"

"Because we don't make the decisions. I do. And I have made it!"

Under his breath Michael answered, "Max, eventually you are going to lose her."

"Am I? Do you know something that I don't?"

"No I don't. I'm just saying . . . "

"What are you saying Michael? That she might leave to be with her human? I doubt it. Those humans make all of you weak – she won't leave because of what she thinks might happen to Jessie if she does."

"You threatened Isabel's husband? My God, Max, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"I do what I have to do to keep us together. None of us will survive if the four of us are not together. If we don't survive, Antar falls."

"You know that you and your cronies are the only ones who give a damn about Antar. The rest of us have our reasons for staying with you but it has nothing to do with Antar and except for Ava it has nothing to do with self preservation."

"Really Michael, enlighten me. Why does everyone stay?"

Michael was silent. He knew he had said too much.

"Never mind – I don't want to know why everyone stays – just tell me why you stay."

Michael had known when he started this that it wasn't going to go well, but still he had started it – now he had to see it through. "I stay to protect them from you."

Max didn't miss a beat. He looked Michael straight in the eyes and smiled evilly "And you think you could? Do you really think for one moment that if I wanted Maria dead you could protect her? Oh I have no doubt you would die trying but you wouldn't succeed. In the end she would be dead."

"So now you are threatening Maria? I tell you this now, Max, if anything EVER happens to her, I promise you one of us will end up dead and your precious Antar will fall!"

Both Michael and Max noticed people starting to stare. Max turned to the lady across the isle and said loud enough for anyone around them to hear, "Sorry ma'm, roll playing game. Sometimes we get a little too involved." Then Max turned to Michael and whispered, "Calm down. We really don't need this attention. I'm not going to hurt her and I'm not going to hurt Jessie. The only reason I said it was to keep Isabel in line. You know how she can get. You asked. I figured you would understand why I did it. I guess you can't."

"I understand why you think you needed to do it. I still don't like it."

"If we can stop talking about it, I will tell Isabel I'm sorry when we get back."

Michael nodded and turned towards the window. Michael knew enough about what Max had become to know that even if he did apologize to Isabel it didn't mean a damn thing. He had threatened Jessie and now he had threatened Maria; and he had meant it. Max was obviously out of control but Michael had to buy some time. He would have to make sure Maria and the others were safe before he battled Max.

Gail and Serena were walking along the riverfront towards Gail's apartment. They were leaving in the morning and Serena had told Gail that she didn't know when they would be back, causing Gail to insist on getting some of her own things before they left.

Serena kept looking behind them. This had seemed safe after a few drinks but now Serena was starting to get worried. "Gail sweetie, I'll buy you what you need. I promise."

Gail was still a little tipsy and unaware of the possible danger. She tried to ease some of the tension by teasing Serena. "You're not scared are you?"

"Capon vive longtemps." 

Gail waited and then asked,"Are you going to tell me what that means?"

Serena smiled. "The coward lives a long time."

Gail felt bad. She would never forgive herself if something happened to Serena because she wanted a few mementos from the past few years. "Look, these people are after you, not me. Why don't you go back and I will meet you in an hour."

"The coward may live a long time but her time is crap."

Gail let out a giggle. "That was profound."

"Well, I do try."

They walked a bit longer until finally Serena's fears started to become Gail's fears. "You're right. Let's turn around. There isn't anything at my apartment that is worth this."

Serena looked relieved, they turned to walk back towards the Vieux Carre, but it was too late.

Part 4

Gail and Serena turned to find two large men behind them. Gail was startled and jumped back while Serena plowed directly into them, making them both adjust to catch their balance. The shorter of the two was closer to Serena and went directly for her, grabbing her by the arms.

Gail saw Serena trapped in the man's grasp. She wanted to help, do something but she couldn't. Her mind went blank and her feet felt like they were bolted to the cobblestone underneath them. Her heart started to race and time slowed. All she could do was watch in horror.

She looked at the man who didn't have Serena. She was sure he would grab her at any moment but he was just staring at her, stunned. She watched as his face changed from one of bemusement to one of rage. He was still staring at her when he yelled, "SO THIS IS ALL ABOUT LIZ!"

Gail looked at the other man, the one who had Serena. He was having a hard time controlling her and his partner didn't seem inclined to help him. She looked into his eyes and almost lost what was left of her senses. There standing in front of her trying to hurt her best friend was the man who visited her when she was asleep and who haunted her when she was awake. A paradox of emotion rushed over her. She knew what he was doing, that he might hurt Serena, that he might hurt her; she knew she needed to run from him, to get help, something, but she also wanted to run to him and have him take her in his arms like he did at night in her dreams. An eternity seemed to pass, then, as if by instinct she spoke. "Max?"

The seconds seemed to take eons to pass. She was frozen in time until she heard Serena's voice. "RUN GAIL! PLEASE RUN!"

Gail snapped out of her stupor. She knew what she had to do. She might have feelings about this man but with all that was happening those feelings didn't make sense. She reverted back to what she knew. If she didn't get away there would be no one to get help, they both would be at the mercy of these men. She couldn't risk that what she felt was wrong. Serena was trapped and there was nothing she could do about it, so she turned and ran.

Max watched Liz as she ran off. The doctor seemed to notice too. She had started to struggle more. Though it wasn't like she was trying to get away, it was as if she just wanted to buy Liz more time. Michael wasn't helping, he just stood and watched. He couldn't believe that Michael would let Liz run off like that. Was that they way Michael treated traitors?

"DAMMIT, MICHAEL!" He threw his captive at Michael. "You deal with her!"

He saw Michael grab the woman as he took off after Liz.

Gail's chest was pounding. She felt as if she had been running forever. She heard one of the attackers closing behind her. She was staying by the river but she knew if she was going to get away she would have to find her way to the crowds. She turned and headed towards the Quarter. She kept telling herself she was almost there. Just over the levy. She could here the footsteps getting closer. He was going to catch her. She knew it. She stopped and turned towards him. She might not have a chance but he wasn't going to take her without a fight. She glanced around for something to use as a weapon. There was nothing. She looked up and saw that he was just a few feet away. She held out her hands, ready to fight or at least ready to defend herself.

She felt a force flow up, through her body to her hands. All of a sudden a bolt of energy came out of her and flung the man, she had called Max, through the air and into the river. She looked at her hands amazed. How did she do that? She didn't have long to contemplate it, he was further away now but he had gotten up and was coming towards her again. She put up her hand; she prayed that it would work again. This time he lifted his hand and what looked like a green bubble surrounded his body, separating them. The energy went out of her again but it had no effect. Whatever he was doing was shielding him. She heard some people walking through the Quarter – she really was almost there. She turned and ran.

Max walked back to where he had left Michael, to find him sitting on a bench next to the sleeping doctor.

"What the hell happened to you? Did you drown her?"

Max looked angrily at Michael, "No I did not drown her. She got away."

Michael started to laugh. "Are you telling me that little Liz Parker got away from the mighty king of Antar?"

"I really think it would be in your best interest to stop now, Michael!"

Michael's humor disappeared almost immediately. "So what happened?"

"She has powers." Max said matter-of-factly, "Now what did you do to Dr. Baptiste?"

Michael lifted a syringe and grinned. "Rohypnol – the drug of choice for alien abductions."

Max was not amused. "What the hell were you thinking! We need her for her mind! What if that drug damages her?"

"Well, Max I was thinking that if it did – YOU could just heal her. You do remember how to heal don't you?"

Max just got angrier, "Then why the hell didn't you use it earlier!"

Michael stood up and looked at Max squarely in the eye. He was going to challenge him then and there, but then, in his mind, he saw Maria's face. He couldn't take the chance that he would lose and she would be at Max's mercy, so he backed off. "Hey, I'm sorry, but if you would have told me what was going down, that we were going to meet up with your traitor of a girlfriend, I probably would have been a little less surprised and a little more help."

She walked down the corridor of black lights and straight to the bar. "Shot – tequila – the good stuff." She would decide what to do after the liquor calmed her. The bartender smiled and handed her the drink. She drank it down, not bothering with salt or lime, walked past the cages to the far corner of the bar, sat down and waited for it to work.

She had ducked into The Dungeon, figuring that it was as good a place as any to hide. It was dark and (at least at this time of night) crowded. She didn't know exactly what had happened, but whatever it was it wasn't normal. Why could she do what she did? Was it related to her psychic abilities? And Max had some kind of supernatural power too. Were they the same? Well, whatever they were gave them a common goal and this would keep her safe while she was there. She instinctively knew that neither she nor Max could risk being exposed.

She felt the tequila working but her mind was still going a mile a minute. She had known him. She called him Max. She had just looked into the face of the man she saw in her dreams; the man who saved her every night from the terror, but this man was so different, tonight, he had been the terror. She thought about his eyes; they had not been the soft, loving, eyes of her dreams. They were vacant, cold, and angry. She started to go over the whole scene in her mind. The first moments were muddled but Max's friend had yelled something at him about this all being about Liz. Was she Liz? And the way the man had said it – like it was a disease or something. He had looked directly at her as he said it. She must be this Liz, but why couldn't she remember her own name? Hell, his name had rolled off her tongue like it had been ingrained in her since birth. Max . . . Max Evans. She had known it as soon as she looked into his face and seen those calloused eyes. She wanted to remember more but she couldn't, not tonight. She was too scared, too tired and thinking about it was too frustrating. She closed her eyes, she would relax for a minute and then go and find a safe place to rest. Tomorrow she would have to figure out what to do; she would have to find a way to get Serena away from them.

Part 5

It had been an hour since they had gotten the doctor into the "borrowed" car and started their way back home. Max was tired and his mind filled with jumbled thoughts about Liz. How the hell did she get powers? She had cut her hair. Were they a side effect of the healing? It looked nice. He should have been ready for anything. Had her skin always looked so soft? She shouldn't have gotten away. Where had she been for the last 6 and ½ years? Had she been in New Orleans the whole time? Why had she betrayed them? She was a little too skinny. Had she blamed them for Alex's death? Her eyes had aged. Did she even know how he died? But they were still beautiful. Did she know about Tess and the baby? Hell, that had been her own fault.

He felt a twinge of regret come over him when he remembered how she had looked at him in terror. She had never, even during the most turbulent times, looked at him with that much fear. Though, she would have been stupid not to be scared. It was in her best interest. He realized what was happening. It rarely happened anymore, but occasionally he still had to contend with his human side. He didn't give a damn about how she looked, or how she'd been, she was just another human. One who had betrayed them all for what she wanted. As soon as she was gone, his last connection to humanity would be gone too. He just wanted a few answers first.

"So are you planning on telling me what the hell just happened? Did you know that _Liz _would be there?" Michael couldn't keep silent anymore. He had tried but there were too many questions.

"Yes."

Michael waited for Max to say more but he obviously wasn't going to elaborate so Michael asked "and?"

"Langley had shown me a picture of her with Dr. Baptiste. No I didn't think I needed to tell you. I thought you would handle the situation better then you did."

Sarcasm flowed from every pore of Michael's body. "Yeah Max, your right. Hell, I haven't seen the girl's face in over 6 years. In that time she has gone from being your soul mate to our enemy. How was I supposed to handle the situation? Kill her? Would that have been ok?"

Max shrugged nonchalantly. "I wouldn't have blamed you if you had, although she may have information that could be useful to us. She did go into the enemy's camp."

"So, picking this Dr. Baptiste, was it all about Liz?"

"No it wasn't. We needed a scientist; the traitor being involved is just a fortunate by-product."

Michael started to say something else but Max had quit listening, he wasn't going to let his second-in-command keep questioning him. He was the one who made the decisions and they were final. Michael just needed to deal with it.

Gail woke up in an unfamiliar bed, gasping for breath. The dream had come during the night in a different form. The terror had arrived as always, but her savior, who she now knew as Max, didn't take her into his arms and calm her fears, he came and created more destruction, more evil, and more pain. He didn't disappear this time either; he stood firm in front of her, rejoicing in her pain, his cold, empty eyes filled with amusement.

The dream was paralyzing. She knew she needed to get it out of her mind but she couldn't get her bearings. The sheets on the bed were wet from sweat but she was shivering. She looked around the sparse room and tried to remember how she got there. She climbed out of the bed and walked over to the tiny bathroom. She needed a shower.

Serena's head was pounding when she awoke. It didn't help that her hands were tied behind her back or that the sun was streaming through the car window into her eyes. She was struggled to focus but she was still groggy, and whatever they had given her made her mind wander. The two men who attacked her and Gail were in the front seat, seemingly unconcerned with whether she was awake of not. "Smug bastards." She thought.

She moved a little, trying to wake up her arms. "Cassandra darling, I'm going to kick your ass when I get a hold of you." She mumbled. The man driving looked back in the rear-view mirror. The other turned around and said something, although with her head pounding and her vision blurry, she couldn't really make out what he was saying.

The bigger guy, the one in the passenger seat repeated himself. "I SAID – I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU'RE AWAKE."

"Shit – no need to yell." Serena tried to bring her hand up to her eyes but was reminded that her hands were tied. "What did you give me?"

"Just a little Rohypnol." The man said.

"What did you slip it into?"

"I didn't, I injected it."

"SO – YOU'RE TRYING TO KILL ME?" She let out a yelp and started muttering. "Can't yell, can't yell – hurts too bad."

The other man looked at her again in the mirror, he looked perturbed. "There is no need for _you_ to yell and no – he wasn't trying to _kill_ you."

Serena's rolled her eyes at him; at least she thought she did, she wasn't sure. "Oh – I'm sorry." She looked at the idiot who gave her the Rohypnol. "I didn't mean to imply that you might be a killer. You're just a kidnapper and probably a rapist. Much better."

"Look I knew what I was doing and I am not a rapist!" Man, this girl had a mouth like Maria, maybe worse.

Serena's head seemed to be getting worse. She didn't know if it was the effects of the drug or being in the car with morons. "No one knows enough about what they are doing to crush a pill, mix it with water, and inject it. Do you know what happens if a tiny little piece doesn't dissolve and then gets into your blood stream? YOU COULD FUCKING DIE! – Shit – pain, this sucks. Hey pharmacy man do you have some aspirin?"

The man looked in the glove compartment and found some. "It's Michael. Here." He started to hand her a couple.

Serena just glared at him. She had no tolerance for asinine mistakes or people when she felt like crap.

The man looked at her arms. "Oops sorry." He grinned and then held the pills up so he could drop them in her mouth.

Serena chewed them up and then closed her eyes to block out the light. "You know – I would really appreciate it if you would tie my hands up in front of me."

"Maybe – when we stop – if you behave." Michael answered.

Serena nodded her head and drifted back to sleep.

Although it seemed unreal, like a horrible dream, the night before started to come back to Gail. Serena had been taken and she was still in danger. She felt it. She had left The Dungeon and wandered around before deciding where to stay. She had known that it wouldn't be safe to go back to her apartment or to Serena's house. The airport and bus station were both deserted at night, making it hard to leave undetected if someone were watching, so she decided a hotel, right in the middle of the Quarter, would be the safest. She had picked this particular one because there was more then one way out of each room.

She looked at her hand. Did she really make that man, Max, fly through the air with them? Where the hell had that come from? She wanted to try again. To see if it was real or if it was some kind of hallucination but she knew that she couldn't try there. What if it really had happened? What if she did something like that again and someone saw it? They would probably think she was a witch or something. People tended to panic when they didn't understand something. They might very well hunt her down and try to kill her, or at best, imprison her, study her – try to find out why she had these abilities. Her imagination started working overtime. Would they try to burn her at the stake? She didn't take much comfort in the fact that it was illegal. God, she was scaring herself. She started to shake. What the hell was she? She chastised herself. "You have to get a grip Gail!" She thought about her talking to herself – that wasn't a good sign. She snorted out a half laugh. She didn't even know what her name was. She had gone by Gail – and that was all she knew but they had called her Liz and they had known her. She was sure of that. "I guess talking to yourself isn't quite as bad when there are two people engaged in the conversation. So, whatever your name is - get a freakin grip." She would have to worry about her supernatural powers later. She needed to save Serena.

She got out of the shower and dried off, putting on the clothes she had slept in. She couldn't stand the feeling, but she didn't have anything else to wear. At least she had gotten a shower. She stuck her hand in the pocket of her jeans and pulled out the envelope that Serena had given her in case of something like this. She thought about Serena's attack in Ohio. Was Max the one behind it? She looked at the name on the front. Louie Hagan. Serena had made Gail promise to go to Louie if anything happened. She had said that he would know what to do, but now Gail doubted it. She was convinced that this had nothing to do with Serena. It had to do with her. The money inside might help but Serena's friends couldn't – she had to do this on her own. She had to find out who she was and how she was connected to these people.

They had stopped at an old deserted gas station to use the "facilities". Michael had decided they all could use something to eat and had taken the car, alone, to a small sandwich shop they had passed a few miles back.

Serena came out of the bathroom where Max (she had finally caught his name) was standing watch, waiting for her. "You really know how to pick them." She said sarcastically.

"I would think you would be thanking me. I found you some privacy."

Serena's eyes were rolling again. "Oh, I'm sorry – thanks so much for the shit hole you found." She held her hands out in front of her. "I've been a good little captive."

"I'll leave your hands untied for now. You won't get away." Max said matter-of-factly.

Serena looked out over the landscape. He was right about that. There was no where to go, no where to hide. Barren fields of dirt and sand seemed to spread for miles. She wasn't sure where they were but she knew it was somewhere in the desert. She ran a little ways and looked back. He didn't even bother to follow her. She did a cartwheel; it felt so good to stretch her arms.

Max showed no emotion but starred in amazement as she frolicked in the field. Even though she had been drugged and taken against her will she didn't seem to be bothered. It was as if nothing could dent her armor. He respected that.

She ran back to him. "So why did you kidnap me? Does it have to do with Gail? I saw how you and your sidekick looked at her. You definitely know her."

For a brief moment, confusion swept over Max's face. "Gail? You mean Liz."

"Her name is Liz?"

"You don't know her name?" The confusion was back.

"Hell, _she_ doesn't know her name. She only remembers the last few years."

Questions about this new development ran through Max's mind, but he stopped himself from asking. Any answers he wanted would come soon enough. She asked again about why she had been taken but he ignored her. He did not intend on telling her anything, at least not yet.

Gail walked down Toulouse to Royal. There was an internet café there and she needed to get online. She had spent a good portion of her free time during the last few years at this place, looking through missing person reports. She had always known that she had been missing from somewhere but never new exactly from where. She knew there were other ways to find out this kind of information but she had always been leery about going to the police or the news stations. She had an inherent feeling that she should not be in the public eye. Now with someone after her, she understood why. Well, she knew her first name or at least part of it, and with Max Evan's name maybe she could narrow down the search. Maybe she could find out who she was and where she came from.

She got a cup of coffee, walked to the far corner, where she would be hidden but still see the comings and goings of the café, and sat down at a computer. She didn't know if this would work but it was the best lead she had ever come across. She found the search site she was looking for and started to type. Name – Max Evans, Age – she guessed – 25 (the search did add and subtract 5 years) Last known address – unknown.

She took a sip of her coffee while she waited for the search to finish. There were 37 that came up. "Well, you better get comfortable; you're going to look at each one." She told herself.

Two hours and 5 more cups of coffee later she got to Maxwell Evans, Roswell, New Mexico. She typed in Liz on the missing person's reports in Roswell, and her face immediately came up on the screen. Elizabeth "Liz" Parker, last seen – Roswell, NM, missing since – May, 2001, Age then – 17, Age now – 24, height – 5' 3", hair – Brown, eyes – Brown. That was all that was written on the scanned poster but that was enough. She had found herself. She was definitely Liz Parker from Roswell, New Mexico and she was going home.

Part 6a

Liz was on edge when she departed the plane in Roswell. She kept checking to see if anyone was following her. She had been so excited yesterday when she had found her picture on the internet – she had just _known_ she had to go home. That if she went to Roswell and found the answers to the questions that had gnawed at her for the last 3 and ½ years she would be able to help Serena.

This morning she finally had come to her senses and realized that she should have planned a bit more before rushing off. Instead of postponing her trip she decided to disguise herself, at least as best as she could. She went to a thrift shop on the way to the airport and found some frumpy clothes and a huge hat that hid her face.

When she hadn't seen Max or anyone else suspicious at the airport in New Orleans she started getting nervous. Sitting on a plane for 6 hours gave her time to think, and intensified the feeling. She realized that Max had known her. She could only imagine that he knew her from her home town. What if they assumed she would go there? Hell, what if they still lived there? She couldn't save Serena if they caught her. She kept questioning, why she could see other people's futures but not her own.

This morning the disguise seemed clever enough, now, on the ground in Roswell, she was sure it wasn't.

Liz walked outside and got into a cab.

"Where to Lady?" the cabbie asked.

She didn't know. "Great Liz, were you always such a planner?" She thought sarcastically to herself. She knew her name but nothing else. She hadn't thought about it before but her family might not even live here anymore.

The cabbie was not a patient man. "Lady – you have to tell me a destination."

She said the first thing that came to her mind. "Don't you all have a UFO Museum? How about there."

She heard the cabbie mumble something under his breath about tourists. She had to laugh – people are the same everywhere, no matter where you go. She and Serena had always complained about the tourists during Mardi Gras.

The cab let her off in front of the UFO Museum. She turned to pay him.

"Thanks lady. Watch out for the aliens."

She smiled as he drove away. She looked down the block where there was a sheriff's office. She could go in there – they would know what to do, but, just like all those years in New Orleans when she didn't know her name, something kept her from it. She looked across the street. There was a small restaurant. She read the name, the Crashdown Café. Well, she had to eat sometime. This was as good a time as any. She could figure out what to do afterwards.

He watched her walk towards the café. He knew he would be blamed for this but there was nothing he could do. He had discovered her destination too late to stop her. He turned to leave. He would file his report and await his orders.

Serena woke with yet another headache. She couldn't believe that they had drugged her again. "You really need to be a little more suspicious of food from kidnappers." She thought.

She was no longer in a car, she was thankful for that. There was only a small light coming through a window in the door but she could see that she was in a small room. She focused her eyes and turned on a light she found by the bed. She looked around to see that this room was set up like some kind of like a college dorm room. There was a desk, a dresser, a bookcase and a small bed. She got up and walked to the door with the window. She tried to open it but it wouldn't budge.

"What do you expect Serena? They wouldn't have dragged you half way across the country just to let you go once you got here."

She walked over and opened another door. It was a very small bathroom. On the sink was a glass with two aspirin in it.

"Well, at least the pharmacy man thought about the consequences of drug usage."

She took the pills and sat down on the bed. She tried to remember how she had gotten there but couldn't. She must have been out the whole time. She laid back and closed her eyes, waiting for the headache to subside.

She was startled by a presence in her mind. Someone was trying to get in. Had they tried this while she was drugged? Concern crept over her; she could only hope her innate ability to shut people out was strong enough; that it kept them from discovering where Gail/Liz was. How was she supposed to fight against them and the drugs at the same time?

After thinking it through she relaxed, if they were still trying, they must not have gotten what they wanted. With the end of that thought she shut down, blocking them from their answers.

After seeing Maria, Michael decided he needed to talk to Isabel. He walked into her room to find her packing. "So you talked to Max and he's letting you leave."

Isabel gave him a look that said that was not the case. "It doesn't matter what Max says, I'm leaving – for good. I will not live under the tyrannical rule of my brother anymore!"

Michael was noticeably surprised. He had known that Max had gone too far, that Isabel wouldn't take it anymore but he didn't think she would act so soon. He understood but part of him needed her to stay. "He will hunt you down. – and – What about Jesse?"

"I have talked to Jesse about it. He's aware of the danger and no matter the cost he wants to be with me. We will leave the country; go some place where Max can't find us. Liz has done it for years and she doesn't have powers – I assume that I have a better chance then she does."

"He found her and she has powers."

The color drained from Isabel's face. "When? – How? – Where? Did he kill her?"

"Two days ago, in New Orleans. She's a friend of the scientist we just brought in. He didn't kill her – I think he wanted to bring her here first, but her powers caught him off guard. She got away. I don't think he'll make that mistake again."

"How did she get powers?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

Isabel could not believe what she was hearing. "He just left her there – he didn't try again?"

"I did try to ask if he wanted to stay. I could've brought the doctor here alone. When I did he said something about there not being a point. Maybe he knew something I didn't. Who knows what goes through his head nowadays."

Isabel nodded she was still stunned but she was also determined. "Well, good for him. Maybe he can excise that demon but it doesn't change anything for me – Jesse and I are taking our chances. We would rather live a year together, free, then the next fifty apart, under Max's thumb!"

Michael was quietly thinking about Isabel leaving. It might be for the best. It was time that Max realized that although this might be a monarchy – they all still had a voice – and now some, if not all of those voices were ones of dissent. He nodded his head and looked sadly at Isabel, his voice quivering just a bit as he asked, "Please – take Maria with you."

Ava walked over to the granolith cave and down to, what Max called the cages. He called them that because they were used to house humans and to Max, humans were animals, and animals lived in cages. She had been ordered to make sure their new guest was alright. This was usually Isabel's job, but she was on strike and Max seemed to be letting her get away with it. The cages were actually more like small bedrooms used to house the scientists they brought in. She hated them though. It didn't matter how nice they were – they were still cages.

Ava always thought about Zan when she came down here. Actually, the cages made her remember how different Zan was from Max. How Zan had been so good. He might have been a bit rougher around the edges but he could never have done the things that Max had done. He never would have kept people locked up; he never would have forced servitude. After Liz had betrayed them and Max was overcome by his anger, she had made the mistake of telling Max what she thought of him and how (in her eyes) he compared to Zan. He had told her that she was welcome to join him if she would like. She hadn't known where the courage had come from but she had stood her ground. Thankfully they had to have a complete set of four to fight and Max knew that. He could not kill her. Instead he had yelled that Zan had been weak, that was probably why the other's killed him, and being weak had gotten them all killed on Antar and he had no intention of repeating past mistakes.

Even though Langley had explained her duties when he first found her and brought her to them, she had meant to leave after that conversation. At the time she had been with them for over two years but, Antar still wasn't important to her, nothing was – not since Zan had been killed, but something made her stay. Maybe because she thought it was her best chance to live or maybe because she just wanted to belong. But now she believed that her duty was more important then having a place to belong. That it was even more important then her life. She had to save her home and the people there. That was her _destiny_ and Max was her King. So, here she was doing Max's bidding as she always did. It just made her miss Zan that much more.

Max sat at his desk trying to go over reports from the last few days, but his mind wouldn't focus. It kept drifting back to Liz and her powers. He was angry at himself; he had been caught off guard. If he hadn't she would be here now – begging for his mercy. As it was, he knew once she got away that she would be more cautious. Even if she had lost her memories, which he wasn't convinced she had, she wasn't stupid. He wouldn't find her until she let her guard down – and that might take more time then he was willing to give. That was why he had ordered his people to get into Serena's mind. He was sure she knew where Liz would go.

He thought more about the powers and how she might have gotten them. He had convinced himself that they had to have something to do with the healing but he didn't know how that was possible. Maybe it was because she was always an evil vixen who could suck the life force and therefore the powers out of him. God – he had to stop, he was tired and that was causing him to regress. He knew he had to find the answer but thinking like a stupid jilted human boyfriend wasn't going to help. Or maybe it was – his last thought went through his mind again.

Part 6b

The diner was fairly empty but Liz was still nervous. She stood near the door, looking around for any sign of Max and his friend. She heard a crash coming from the back and looked up. A tall man who looked to be about 50 came running out. "Lizzy! Your home!" It seemed, to Liz, that it only took a moment for him to cross the room and engulf her in his arms.

Liz was confused but the hug felt so right. She hugged him back, just a little. She looked up at his face. His eyes were filled with tears but he was grinning from ear to ear. She started feeling self conscious and pushed away. "I'm sorry – I don't know you."

The man's face turned from joy to bewilderment. "You don't know me?"

"Please don't be offended." She seemed to want nothing more then to please this man. "I don't know anyone. I just found out who I was and where I was from a few days ago."

Jeff Parker looked at his little girl with mixed emotions. How could there be sadness on such a joyous occasion. His little girl was alive, she had come back home, but she was also broken and confused. He smiled a bit and said, "Honey, I'm your daddy."

Serena sat in his cell engrossed in a book that she had found in the bookcase. It wasn't actually a book – more like a scientific journal. It was amazing. It had schematics of a machine that she had never seen or even heard about. "This is amazing." She thought.

She heard the door open and looked up to a small blondish girl carrying a tray.

"Hi, I'm Ava. I brought you some food."

Serena got up and walked over and looked at the food. It was a sandwich and a drink. "So am I going to sleep another eight hours when I eat this?"

Ava knew what she was talking about. "No – they don't need you to be drugged anymore."

Serena smiled. "So who are 'they'? Max and Michael?" Serena noticed as Ava started to nod.

Ava stopped her head from bobbing up and down. "I'm really not supposed to answer questions."

Serena shrugged. She had just wanted to know who was in charge and Ava had first response had told her. "So what are you? Are you a prisoner here too? Am I playing some part in a freakin harem fantasy?"

Ava smiled but controlled her laughter. That thought seemed ridiculous. "No – nothing like that. Someone will be down later to explain."

"Great - Something to look forward to." Serena mumbled under her breath.

Ava turned around as if she was leaving. She doubted they would need to use it until they released the doctor, but she had to try the mindwarp to see if it would work.

A few moments had passed when Serena grabbed Ava by the arm. "You won't get in so I would appreciate it if you would stop trying."

Ava was noticeably flustered. She hadn't even gotten into the first layer. How had this woman known what she was doing? "I have to go." Ava said as she rushed out the door.

Serena watched as she left. She took the glass and smelled it. It wasn't liquor. "No use to me." She walked to the bathroom, dumped it out and filled it with tap water.

Max sat in his office, waiting for Ava with Isabel and Michael.

Ava finally walked in. "I just got back from seeing the new scientist." She looked at Max. "We need to talk."

Max nodded. "We'll talk about her later." There was a more important item on the agenda. He looked at Ava and Isabel. "I don't know if Michael told you but the traitor was in New Orleans. She has powers." Isabel just nodded and Ava didn't look surprised so Max continued. "I am still unsure but I believe when I healed her she received some of my power. Any thoughts?"

Ava chimed in. "From what I know – when a person is healed they are changed."

"Changed how?" Max asked.

"I really don't know. Something about you having to use your energy to fix them. It kind of mixes with their DNA or something."

Max wasn't really sure about her explanation but it helped to solidify his hypothesis. "I want to make sure. I am going to go into Roswell to see Kyle. I want to know if he has powers."

Isabel couldn't stay quiet any longer. "What are you going to do Max? You made it clear to Kyle and his father years ago that you no longer trusted them and you wanted them to stay away from us. Do you really think he's going to talk to you? And what if he does and he has powers? What will you do then? Bring him here? You probably couldn't if you wanted to. From what I understand you couldn't bring Liz here. And what if you can are you going to put him in one of your cages? Make him one of your subjects? Maybe he doesn't _want_ to serve a king?"

Max glared at her. "Isabel, you can stop now! I might bring him here – hell I might even kill him. Do you have a problem with that?"

That statement did nothing to improve Isabel's demeanor. "No Max, no problem at all. You're the king. Do what you want – you will anyway."

Silence followed for almost a full minute, until Michael couldn't take it anymore. "Look, Isabel has some valid points. I doubt Kyle will come quietly. You need to take at least one of us with you."

Max thought about it. Michael was right. "Fine – we can all go. We'll be gone less then a day. I'll put Langley in charge. Maria and Isabel can go see their families while we deal with Kyle."

Michael was surprised that Maria was invited.

Isabel was livid. "Our families? What about yours? Once upon a time my parents were your parents too."

Max wore a determined look on his face. "My family is in this room and on Antar! No one else matters." Then he looked at all of them. "We'll leave in a few days. Since, I've been gone; I have some things to do here first."

Isabel walked out, slamming the door as she left.

Max started walking towards his room. "I'm tired, I'm going to bed."

"I am not leaving you! That's final!" Maria was hysterical. She couldn't believe after all they had been through that he wanted her to go.

Michael tried to wrap his arms around her but she pushed him away. His frustration level was elevated. "Maria, PLEASE! It's for your own good. Max is out of control. You're not safe anymore!"

"Max may be screwed up but he isn't going to hurt me."

Michael looked at her determined to make her understand, even if it meant alienating her forever. He could live without her – he knew that - but he could never live with her death. "Dammit – He has threatened to kill you! And HE WILL! He doesn't care anymore – not about any of us – he only cares about his damn mission! He will do whatever he has to in order to accomplish that mission. I have to fight him – I have to make sure the world is safe from him – if you are here I can't do that. You have to disappear. Isabel is the only one that can make that happen. The day after we get back from Roswell – you WILL leave with Isabel – she will keep you safe and you will NEVER come back here. Do you understand!"

Maria was crying. She couldn't believe that this was happening. Her relationship with Michael was the one thing she believed she could count on. She thought he depended on her as much as she depended on him. Now she was questioning it once again. How could he just insist that she walk away? Through her tears she nodded her head in agreement and ran out the door to cry alone.

Onuris was waiting for Max when he walked into his room. "Your Majesty." He bowed low.

Max would never get use to that. He accepted that Langley would address him formally occasionally but he never bowed. Maybe it had something to do with Langley being away from royalty for so long. For Onuris it had just been a few years. "What is it?"

Max's mother had sent Onuris to them, with Asim, four years ago. From the message that accompanied them, Asim had been sent to replace Nasedo, while Onuris, his mother's most trusted servant, had been sent to help with the war. The message informed them that their homecoming was drawing near. Their strength had increased enough that they would soon be able fight Khivar face to face. Onuris had brought a transport with him; one that could accommodate all of the Antarians, on Earth, loyal to the true king of Antar. At first Max had not completely trusted these new men and he had still been holding on to his naïve fantasies that Liz could never betray him. He had declared to Onuris that he would not abandon these humans. He would not leave until they were safe from Khivar and any other alien threat.

Onuris had seemed to understand. He had used his considerable power to help them search for Liz so they could be assured of her safety. That was when Max realized that Onuris as well as Langley and Asim had to obey him. It was ingrained in their psyche.

Time had passed, things had changed. Max now realized that he should have gone. That he should have ordered them all to go, but humans had made him weak, they had kept him from his mission, from his purpose for living. In the time between Onuris and Asim's arrival and proving Liz's betrayal the transport had been destroyed by their enemies, leaving them stranded once again. Now Max could only hope that his mother knew their dilemma and was sending another.

"Sire, the human woman, the one you brought back, cannot be entered. I have tried continuously since you brought her here. Drugged, asleep or awake, I cannot get through to her mind. The Queen has also tried her mindwarp unsuccessfully."

"It is Ava – not the Queen."

"As you wish. I believe that you may be the only one who is strong enough to get through."

"As you very well know – that is not an option. I _do not_ connect with humans. What about my sister – she also has this powerful royal blood you're always talking about. Has she tried?" With the exception of him ordering her to the meeting of the four, Isabel had been avoiding Max since his return.

"You are correct, she is stronger then the - - Ava or myself but she has refused to try."

Max nodded, knowingly. He would have to deal with Isabel later. "You realize this scientist killed 2 of our men. They were human, but they were still ours."

"Yes sire, I am aware of that, although, forgive me but wasn't Langley unsure if she actually killed them or not."

Max dismissed his last observation. "I want to know if she is human."

"I believe she is sire. I did scan her when she first came in and she appears completely human but if she is not, she is not from any planet in our system."

"I would like you to continue your efforts but Ava is to stay away from the woman for now. She tends to blame herself if the mindwarps don't work and the end result is not what she hoped. This may be one of those situations."

Onius nodded but waited for more.

Max looked at him, obviously Onius was finished and Max just wanted to sleep. "Dismissed."

Onius bowed deeply as he walked backwards towards the door.

Part 7

Liz walked around "her" room as her parents stood watch over her. She was happy that her parents cared but at this particular moment she felt like she was suffocating. She wanted them to leave – let her investigate on her own.

She picked up a picture of her with a blonde girl and a lanky boy.

"Those were your best friends in high school. Maria and Alex. Do you remember them?" Jeff had watched Liz walk around the room. Hopeful that something would trigger a memory.

Liz just shook her head. She felt like a voyeur looking in on someone else's life. Nothing was familiar.

Jeff put his arm around her. "That's alright honey it will come to you eventually."

Nancy Parker was still standing at the door. She was so glad that her daughter was home but she saw Liz's face. It didn't matter if Liz had been gone for years – she was still her daughter. She knew Liz wanted, probably needed, to be alone for this. "Jeff honey, why don't we let Liz get some sleep?" Then she looked at Liz. "Is that ok with you?"

Liz nodded. She was thankful that her mother was astute enough to know she would prefer to do this privately.

Nancy gave Liz a hug. "We'll see you in the morning. Call me if you need me."

Liz smiled and nodded that she would.

Jeff gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. "We're so glad your back home."

"I am too, dad." Liz walked behind them as they left and closed the door. Now she could explore her past without distractions.

She walked over to her desk and picked up an old school book. Biology. She flipped through it and found a note. "Eraser room – 6th period?" It meant nothing.

She walked over to her dresser. There were pictures of her with a group of people – all dressed up – like they were going to homecoming or prom or something. She picked one up to take a closer look. The boy with his arms around her was Max. Except this Max looked so different. He looked so much younger; clean cut and innocent. He also looked like a guy in love. "Was he in love with me?" She asked herself.

The other guy who had been in New Orleans was also in the picture, but he wasn't dressed up. She also recognized the two from the other picture; Maria and Alex, but the rest were a mystery. She put the picture down and continued walking around the room – looking for something that might help her remember.

Her father had said that she spent a lot of time on the balcony when she was younger. Maybe something out there would help. She opened the window and climbed out. There were some lawn chairs and a table. She walked around touching everything. She had to laugh at herself. Did she really think she could get a psychic premonition from an inanimate object?

She sat down on one of the lawn chairs, closing her eyes she tried to take in the sounds and the smells, hoping something would help. Nothing. She was starting to get frustrated, and she knew that probably wouldn't help. "I guess I better go to bed. Maybe something will come to me tomorrow."

She stood up and started walking towards the window when something caught her attention. There was a loose brick. She had seen a movie once where someone had hidden something in a wall behind a loose brick. "Probably me just being stupid." But she had to check. She walked over to it, pulled out the brick and peered in. There was something in there.

She reached through the cobwebs and pulled it out. It was a book. She opened it and started to read. "September 23rd. Journal entry one. I'm Liz Parker and five days ago I died. After that, things got really weird..." This wasn't just any book it was a journal. Her journal.

Max ignored the guards saluting him as he made his way down to the cages. It was time that he had a talk with their new guest. He had a few questions and it was time the doctor got started on her work. He opened the door to her cage and walked in. "Dr. Baptiste."

Serena looked up from her book. "Hi – this is truly fascinating. Is this why I'm here?"

Max walked over and looked at the book she was studying. He wasn't surprised that she seemed completely at ease. "Yes." He took the book from her and set it aside. "I'll take you to the granilith in a bit."

"You have this machine here?" When he nodded she practically jumped out of her seat. "Let's go."

"Not now. I have some questions first."

Serena was getting impatient. "Am I here to answer questions or be a scientist?"

"You're here for whatever reason I decide!"

"Really now – that's interesting. What the hell are you – king of the fucking world?"

Max smiled slyly. "Not this one."

"Oh." Serena sat back down. She was dumbfounded – she now understood why the design of the machine hadn't made sense. It wasn't technology from this planet. "You're an alien."

Max was pleased. This was the first time the doctor had shown any weakness. "What I want to know is, are you?"

Serena recovered quickly from her momentary lapse of reason. "Why would you think that? Because your freaks can't read my mind? They can't read my mind because I won't let them. Mo va pas pre:e vous baton pu casse mo latete."

Max wondered, but not enough to ask. He just stood there with the question still on his face.

Serena finally answered. "It's not alien – it's just a gift. Why don't you just ask me what you want to know?"

"Humans tend to lie."

Serena started to laugh at his ridiculous remark. "Really now – just humans. How did your race get rid of that particular vice? Did you kill all the liars; breed it out – what? Maybe we could do the same, here on earth."

Max ignored her sarcasm. "And Liz?"

"She's not alien either – at least I don't think so."

Max was getting agitated. "I want to know how you know her and what you know about her!"

"You don't have to get all riled up about it." Serena had understood his inquiry, but she didn't know what exactly she should tell him, plus it didn't hurt to make him work a little for his answers. She had a feeling that this man got his way far too easily.

Finally she decided the truth couldn't hurt. "I've known her a little over three years. A friend of mine found her on the streets in the Quarter. She didn't know who she was – so she took her in. When it comes to what I know about her – I'm guessing you know a lot more then I do; hell you might even know more then she does. You did know her name."

Max stared at her. Was she telling the truth? It had been a long time since he had to rely on human insight. He didn't trust it and he didn't trust her, but, for now, he would let it go. At least until he saw Kyle. After that who knows. Torture was not completely off the table; he might even get some pleasure out of breaking this girl."

Serena watched Max stand there, wondering what the hell was going through his mind. She decided that she could care less. She wanted to see the alien technology. "Can I see the machine now?"

Max nodded and signaled for her to follow him. He led her out of her cage and down a long hall. On the way he pointed out the guards, all equipped with large guns. Although some of the guards were Antarian, they still carried the guns for show. It seemed to impress upon the humans their inability to escape. 

They turned and walked a little farther to a small door. Max opened it. Serena looked in amazement as she went inside. "So you call this a granilith?"

Max nodded.

She walked over to it and touched its smooth surface. She couldn't believe she was getting such a close look at this alien device.

Max watched her for a minute and then started to explain. "We don't know a lot about it. Basically just what was in the journal in your room. We want you to help us figure it out. We want to know what it does, how it works, things like that."

"and this granilith – this is why you kidnapped me?"

Max nodded.

Serena looked at him and smiled. "You could have just asked."

It was 6am and Liz was still awake. She was captivated by her journal. Her more practical side kept thinking that this was some kind of fictional story she had made up but then she would remember being near the river; how she had made Max fly through the air. She had seen Max's powers. It seemed so preposterous, but then again, in a strange way, it made sense.

One passage was about a future version of Max who came and told her that she had to make Max fall out of love with her. She thought about seeing him in New Orleans. She had obviously succeeded. Chills went up and down her spine as she read a small footnote to the saga. "Serena will be a friend of mine someday." She tried to understand. Not only was Serena her friend now but she had been her friend in another timeline. Was Serena predestined to be her friend? Would it have made a difference how they had changed the world?"

Liz's head was starting to hurt thinking about all the possibilities of this new revelation so she stopped thinking and continued to read.

She read about her friend Alex and how he died but then the entries stopped and turned into notes. Notes that indicated that she had been sure that Alex had died by extraterrestrial means. Then the journal ended abruptly. Was that when she vanished? Did her disappearance have to do with Alex's death? The journal seemed to create as many questions as it answered. She went back to her dresser and picked up the pictures, trying to put a face on each person she had just read about.

She took a shower, got dressed, and walked down the stairs to the restaurant. Her father was already there.

"Good morning Lizzy." He said happily.

She went over to him and kissed his cheek. "Good morning."

"So what does my girl want for breakfast? I'll make you anything."

"Coffee is fine." She saw that her father looked disappointed. "I guess I am kind of hungry. How about whatever use to be my favorite."

He smiled and turned towards the grill. "So what would you like to do today?"

"I was thinking about looking up some old friends. Maybe it will help me to remember something."

Jeff motioned with his eyes towards the restaurant's door as it opened. "You can start now."

Liz turned around to see the aged face of one of the boys in her picture. The man stopped and starred at her for a moment, but then recovered his senses and walked over to her. "Liz?"

"Kyle?"

Jeff couldn't believe it. "You remember him?"

Liz shook her head. It hadn't been a memory just process of elimination but she didn't want to explain her thinking to her father so she just said the first thing that came to her mind. "I found a yearbook. " Then to answer Kyle's obvious confusion she explained. "I don't remember anything before three and a half years ago."

Kyle was amazed. "You're kidding!"

Liz shook her head. "No, not at all. I was hoping to look up some of my old friends. Maybe it would help me remember something."

"Here I am." Kyle ginned. "I'm the only one left in Roswell."

"Well, I'll let you kids talk." Jeff said as he walked away.

Kyle sat down next to Liz. "So you don't know _anything_?"

Liz didn't know how to approach the subject. "I read my journal."

"So you know about Max, Michael, Isabel and Tess?"

Liz nodded.

They talked for hours, eventually deciding to go for a ride where they could talk more freely about aliens. Liz still had trouble comprehending the whole situation. Kyle tried to fill her in as best as he could while he took her on a tour of some of the more important sites of her teenage years, finally ending up near a rock formation that, even though they could not enter, Kyle swore was the pod chamber that Liz had read about in her journal.

They sat a while on top of a large rock when Kyle asked, "So are you remembering anything?"

"No, I thought I would but it doesn't seem to be working."

Kyle smiled a little, acknowledging what Liz must be going through, and then changed the subject. "So, Can you do things?"

Liz didn't know how to answer that. "What do you mean?"

Kyle lifted his hand and a bolt of energy blasted out, making sand out of a nearby rock. "Like that."

Relief spread over Liz. At least she wasn't alone in this. She raised her hand and concentrated. She had wanted to try this since that night at the river. She didn't even feel it happen but it did. She made the next rock disappear in a cloud of dust. "I guess so. Why do you think we can do that?"

"Who knows? I will never understand all this freaky alien shit, but I guess it has something to do with being healed by Max." Kyle looked at his watch. "Hey, I gotta take you home and get to work. We can continue this later if you want."

Liz smiled. "I would like that."

"It is so great to have you back in Roswell." Kyle said as he hugged her.

Visions flooded her mind as soon as he touched her. She saw Kyle arguing with Max and Michael and then Max putting his hand on Kyle and Kyle falling over. Over Kyle's head was a calendar. The date on the calendar was tomorrow's. She tried to process this information as they walked to the car.

"You got quiet all of a sudden." Kyle stated a few minutes after pulling away from the rock that housed the pods.

Liz hadn't known how to start. "When was the last time you spoke to Max?" .

Kyle thought for a minute. "I'm not sure –it's been years."

"Kyle, I have psychic abilities." She glanced over at Kyle, when she saw that this didn't faze him she continued. "I might have gotten them when Max healed me. When you hugged me I got a vision of Max. He's coming to see you."

Kyle laughed. "Max doesn't come into Roswell anymore. I think your visions are whacked."

Liz couldn't just tell Kyle that Max might kill him. "Kyle, he's coming tomorrow and I'm going to be there."

It was late in the evening and Michael was walking past Isabel's room when he heard her calling him.

"Michael, come here a sec I need some help with something."

Michael turned around and stuck his head in her door. She was re-packing a small duffle bag. "What's up?"

Isabel pulled him into her room and shut the door. "We're leaving tomorrow. I convinced Max to let me take my car to Roswell."

Michael hadn't been ready for this news. It gave him one last night with Maria. "How did you do that?"

"I told him that I needed to run some errands and do some shopping before seeing my parents. Then I told him that if we went in a few hours before you all, Maria and I could finish up and still meet you all early enough to help out if there were any problems."

Michael was kind of surprised. "And he bought it?"

Isabel nodded. "I don't know if you noticed but Max has been a little distracted lately and anyway, I also told him that it would be too crowded in one car if he decided to bring Kyle back."

"Are you still going into Roswell?"

Isabel shook her head. She was upset, she would have liked to see her parents one last time. She didn't know if she would ever be able to come back. "We can't take the chance. We have to get as far from here as possible before he figures out that we've gone."

"Where are you going to go? Never mind don't answer that. It's better if I don't know." Michael thought for a moment and added. "You aren't going to Boston though – are you?"

Isabel shook her head again. "No, I spoke to Jesse, he will meet us somewhere else." She looked at her watch. "In fact he should already be on his way."

Michael was satisfied that Isabel had thought everything through. "What time will you be leaving?"

"You all are supposed to leave after Max's morning meeting with his minions. What time is that? 9:00 or 9:30? We'll leave a few hours earlier. Tell Maria to be ready around 6:30am. Oh, here," She threw him the extra key to her car, "Make sure you put anything that Maria wants to take in the trunk tonight. I don't think Max will pay any attention to us in the morning but just in case we can't be carrying luggage with us when we leave."

Michael walked over to Isabel and pulled her into a big bear hug. "I'm going to miss you Iz. I love you."

Isabel hugged him as tight as she could. Through her tears she whispered into his ear. "I love you too. Please don't get killed."

Michael let go. "Hey, I'll be fine – as long as you and Maria are safe. Keep in touch if you can."

"I will."

Michael gave her a half smile. "Well then – Maria will be ready." He started walking towards the door, then stopped and turned to look at Isabel. "Thank you."

She was nodding as he walked out the door.

Michael walked into his room to find Maria sitting on their bed staring out the window. He hadn't wanted to destroy the last night they would ever have together with sadness, so he had waited to tell her that she would be leaving, until after making love last night.

The night hadn't been ruined, it had been beautiful, but now she was hurt and angry. He stood there, absorbing her form in his heart for one long last moment.

He walked up to her and put his hand on her shoulder. She shrugged away from him and stood up. She hadn't let him touch her all morning.

"It's almost time to leave." Michael said softly.

Maria nodded and stood up.

Michael saw the tears brimming in her eyes. He stood in front of her and reached up to touch her cheek with his hand. She was his ideal. Beautiful, funny, compassionate; she was the only one he had ever let see him, the only one that ever understood him completely, and amazingly, she had loved him.

But now he would watch her leave. He would probably never see her again. He could feel the lump in his throat. It was going to be hard to get through the next few minutes without breaking down, but he was determined to be strong. He couldn't let her know how much it hurt him to see her leave. It would be easier for her that way.

Maria looked at him defiantly she didn't want to leave but he had made his decision. "I'm ready." She rushed past him towards the door to their room.

Michael knew he couldn't walk her to the car; anything out of the ordinary would have made Max suspicious, but he couldn't let this be the last he saw of her. "Maria – wait – please." He pleaded.

Maria stopped at the door and turned around. Even with the tears in her eyes, she had made her face hard. A prerequisite for hardening her heart.

Michael walked over to her. He had expected the anger but he wasn't going to let her shut him out – not yet – not during the last few moments that they might ever have together. His eyes were burning. He pushed back the tears, as he put his arms around her.

Maria's arms were glued to her side. She wasn't giving in.

Michael put his hand to her chin and lifted her eyes to his. There was so much he wanted to say but the words wouldn't come. He choked out his final words. "I love you."

Maria's face softened as the tears rolled down her cheeks, but her arms stayed glued to her side. The words were powerful but she didn't know if she believed in them anymore. She loved him more then she ever imagined, in all of her childhood fantasies, was possible, but he was still letting her go. She had hoped he would change his mind but he hadn't. . She had hoped he would change his mind but he hadn't.

Michael felt her relax. He leaned down and kissed her softly, tasting her salty tears. He felt her arms reach around his back as she gave in one last time. He put his hand on the small of her back and pulled her closer deepening their last kiss.

They grasped desperately for each other until the last possible second and then it was time; she had to leave. He let go reluctantly and watched as she walked out of the room and towards her life, without him.

Michael watched from his bedroom window as the car with his other half, pulled away.

"Damn you Max." He said to himself. His tears flowing freely, his heart breaking, and his only comfort was that soon – very soon – once he knew she was safe – he would destroy Max Evans.

Part 8a

Liz left just after daybreak to go to Kyle's apartment. She hadn't been able to decipher her visions enough to tell an exact time but she was confident that Max would arrive during daylight.

She knocked on the door, coffee in hand, and waited.

Kyle finally answered in his boxers, with sleep still in his eyes. "Oh – hi." He said as he moved out of the doorway for Liz to come in.

"So you're still asleep?"

Kyle looked at her confused. "Oh – yeah – still asleep – yeah." He muttered.

"I brought you some coffee." She handed him the cup.

"Thanks. I live on this stuff." He took a big gulp. "I'll be better company after I take a shower."

Liz nodded as Kyle walked into the bathroom.

She sat down on the couch to wait. She turned on the TV and flipped through the channels. Nothing interested her. She turned it off and started to wander around the apartment.

His living room and kitchen were one big room, consisting of a couple of bar stools, a small couch, a large leather recliner and a bunch of electronic equipment. He had socks on the floor, dishes in the sink and cobwebs in the corners. There were only two pictures that she could see. One was of Kyle, his father and an older man, probably a grandparent, and a large picture of him and a woman in a very nice frame. The picture looked like it had been placed there by the girl. "Typical bachelor." She thought.

She picked up the picture of the woman. She was a very pretty blonde.

"Tracy." Kyle had come out of the bathroom to see Liz looking at the picture.

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"She was my fiancée." Kyle answered quietly. "She died two years ago – cancer."

Liz carefully placed the picture back. "I'm sorry."

Kyle shrugged. He had received enough sympathy when it first happened. "It was a long time ago."

Liz could sense that he still loved her and was a long way from accepting the loss but she also could tell that he didn't want to talk about it. "So, I could make you some breakfast."

Kyle shook his head and turned on ESPN. "I don't want anything. I went out with some guys from work last night and drank a little too much."

"I know how that is. Serena, a friend in New Orleans, would drag me out on a tequila binge at least three nights a week. Excedrin and a lot of water always worked for me."

"I usually just sleep it off but since I had an early visitor today . . . "Kyle was teasing but Liz didn't seem to notice. 

"I'm sorry. If you want to go back to bed, I'll be fine. I just sit out here and watch – what is this? – Sportscenter?"

Kyle had to laugh. Liz watching Sportscenter seemed absurd. "No, no, I'm awake now."

Kyle and Liz sat in his living room talking most of the morning. Liz filled Kyle in on what she remembered about her life. About New Orleans, Cassandra and Serena. Finally she told him about the last few days.

"A few nights ago, Serena was kidnapped by Max and Michael. Max came after me, that is when I found out I had these alien powers." She waved her hand around. "Michael called me Liz and for some reason, I remembered Max's name."

Kyle listened quietly until she was finished. "I suppose if you were going to remember anyone it would be Max." 

"So we were as close as my journal indicated?"

"Closer – you all had some kind of freaky connection or something. Well, that is until he found us in bed together."

"My journal said that we didn't . . ."

Kyle shook his head. "No, we didn't have sex. It was a set up. At the time, I figured Max had done something to piss you off but Maria eventually told me why. Was that in your journal?"

Liz nodded as Kyle continued. Let me tell you, Liz that whole situation seemed unreal, even to me."

Liz was bewildered. "If Maria told you then she must have told Max. If she did, why did he seem so hell-bent on hurting me the other night?"

Before Liz's vision yesterday Kyle hadn't wanted to upset her unnecessarily, so he had kept a few things to himself, but now Liz was playing with fire and it was best that she knew everything. "She never told him. At first, she worried that if she did, then the world would end, but later she didn't tell him because she was convinced that you betrayed them."

Liz had heard of people who lost their memory and changed completely. Had she? After reading her journal, Liz couldn't believe she would ever betray them, but she had to ask. She didn't know enough about herself to be sure. "So did I?"

"Did you betray them?" Kyle asked thoughtfully. "Honestly Liz, I don't know. I know the person you were and if you did, I always figured you had a damn good reason. You have to understand about the others though; you took off, without a note or anything. Max and you were at war, at least philosophically, and by the time all this came out no one had seen you for years; no one knew where you were or who you had become."

"How do they think I betrayed them?"

"They believe you told Khivar, where the granilith was."

Liz didn't understand why but she was upset that these people (who she could not even remember) could believe that she had done something so horrible. "I guess that makes sense, why Max looked like he could have killed me in New Orleans."

"No, Liz, I don't think that's all of it." Kyle could see that Liz was already taking all the blame, whether it was hers or not, onto herself. He couldn't let her. "Max and Tess got together. Was that in your journal?" Liz indicated it had been so Kyle continued. "Well, Tess screwed with Max's head for a few years. They had a child and he tried to be the perfect father, but then he discovered that Tess had been the one who killed Alex. He killed her and gave the baby, who was then a toddler, away. He wasn't right after that."

"The baby isn't alien?"

"No it was completely human."

Liz looked at the ground. Understanding if not forgiveness overwhelmed her being. "He's been through so much." She stopped; she couldn't believe she was saying this about a man who had abducted her only friend.

Kyle couldn't accept what he was seeing in Liz's eyes. She still cared about him, even though she could not remember him. He couldn't let her thoughts continue in this direction. Her ignorance would get her killed. Max might have once been a wonderful person but no more. "It doesn't matter what he's been through, Liz. He has turned bad. He doesn't care about anyone or anything anymore. He doesn't care who he hurts in his pursuits. He is plain EVIL!"

Maybe he was but she had read the journal. It was in her own handwriting. He had not been evil then; maybe there was a part of him that wasn't evil now. "He saved my life, Kyle." She said softly.

Kyle was angry. Memories of Tracy raced through his mind. Max hadn't killed her but he had let her die. "That doesn't matter anymore! He might have saved your life once upon a time but now he would just as easily take it! He doesn't have any regard for human life. Hell, Liz your friend might be dead already!"

Kyle's speech worked. Liz's was frightened for her friend. "Do you really think he'll hurt Serena?"

Kyle regretted saying it as soon as he saw her fear but she had to know what she was dealing with. "I honestly don't know, but from what I do know he has become ruthless. As long as he needs someone he won't hurt them but when they have served their purpose he has no trouble throwing them away."

Kyle's answer did nothing to alleviate Liz's fears. She knew, when they came she would go with them. She might not have the memories but she at least had knowledge, hopefully enough to save Serena.

New Disclaimer: "Sad But True" was written by members of Metallica. It is not mine. I didn't download it – so don't sue.

8b

"You really suck at this, Liz." Kyle was laughing as he won another game.

Liz stuck out her tongue playfully. "Well, I usually don't have time to play video games. I have a life you know."

"Yeah – sure – but whose life?"

Liz grabbed a ragged old pillow from the couch and hit Kyle over the head. She could see that Kyle was contemplating retaliation. "Ok – ok, you win." She said in hopes of deterring him. "I suck."

"Oh no you don't. You're not getting off that easy." He smiled devilishly and grabbed the other pillow, but in mid swing he stopped. Someone was coming up to the door.

As they made their way to the door Max heard Liz's laughter. There was no mistaking it. At one time, it had been his sole source of joy but now, it was a haunting reminder of his humanity.

He couldn't believe that she was that stupid. He had assumed, after the night in New Orleans, she would run far, far away. But here she was, pretty as you please, like nothing was wrong.

Max's anger got the better of him. He didn't knock he just barged in. "Look what we have here, Michael? Little Miss Traitor ran to her lover for protection."

Kyle was already on his feet. "And aren't we the lucky ones. We have the king himself favoring us with his presence." He bowed slightly.

Max was looking into Liz's eyes but said to Kyle. "You couldn't protect her if you wanted to."

Liz stood up and walked between Kyle and Max. She was not running this time. "I don't need protection." She said firmly.

"Don't you?" Max was amused that she would think such a thing.

"No Max I don't!"

Max laughed in her face. She hadn't changed. Even when the odds were stacked against her, she still fought.

Liz was pissed. "So, is Serena still alive!"

Before Max could answer her question, or was it more of a demand, he saw Kyle staring at Ava. "What's the matter, Valenti? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Kyle continued to stare at Ava. "So you brought another blonde bitch to mindwarp me!"

At first, Ava was taken aback. She walked over to him. "I'm not here to mindwarp you." She lied.

Kyle wasn't listening. He pushed Ava away. "Get the fuck away from me you freak!"

Ava stepped back, confused, looking towards Max for direction but Max's attention was back on Liz. 

Michael was the only one not on edge. During all the drama he had gotten a drink, plopped himself onto Kyle's couch and started playing the game that Liz and Kyle had been playing when they walked in.

Max was too engrossed in his battle with Liz to notice what Michael, or anyone else for that matter, was doing. "I think you should be worrying more about what I'm going to do to you, then about your friend!"

Liz was not backing down. "IS SHE FUCKING ALIVE!"

Max was actually dumbfounded. He couldn't believe that Liz was cursing. Maybe she had changed. "She's alive, for now."

Liz nodded. "I want to go back with you. I want to see her."

"Do you think I give a shit what you want?" Max asked.

"I think you want to punish me for whatever I did. What better place then the rock you live under?"

"I am not taking you to our compound so you can run to Khivar and sell us out again."

Liz quietly answered him. "I'm assuming I won't be allowed to leave."

"You're damn right!" Max had to stop himself. This is what he had wanted, why was he trying to change her mind? "Fine, go get in the car. We will be out in a minute."

"No – I'm not leaving until you do and I'm sure that Kyle's ok."

Kyle was worried now. "What the hell do you mean, you have to be sure I'm ok? Did you see something in your vision?"

Ava saw Kyle's fear. For some unexplained reason she felt the need to calm it but she knew she couldn't, she was probably causing him more stress just by being in the same room. 

Max raised an eyebrow. "Now you're trying to protect him? Don't worry about him."

"What the hell does that mean?" Liz asked.

Max didn't answer. He had finished with Kyle. Liz would supply him with the answers that he wanted and he knew that as long as Kyle didn't remember seeing Liz, he was no threat. He signaled Ava that it was time for her to do her job, grabbed Liz by the arm and walked out of the apartment as Michael followed.

He watched as three of the royal four got into the car with the subject. He had thought his last report would be the end but he had been ordered to continue his surveillance. As they drove away he got into a car and headed back to his residence.

The four of them sat in the car, outside of the diner, waiting for Isabel and Maria. Max didn't think that Liz would be any trouble since she had insisted on coming with them but he wasn't going to take the chance that he was wrong.

Metallica blared from the CD player. Max had made the mistake of letting Michael pick the music. Well, at least they didn't have to talk.

The song was over and Max had, had enough. He pressed the eject button on the player, pulled out the CD and threw it out the window.

Michael wasn't going to say anything. Each minute was another minute further Maria was from Max. Without a word, Michael slowly got out and walked around the car. He picked up the CD, waved his hand over it to fix the damage Max had inflicted, got back into the car and put the CD away.

Max watched Michael retrieve his CD but didn't comment on it. Within moments he knew it had been a mistake. In the silence thoughts started to cloud his head. The traitor hadn't said a word since she had gotten into the car. He played back the scene in Kyle's apartment. He could still hear her laughter. It was mocking him.

He felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck. He couldn't see her since she was sitting behind him but he knew that she was staring at him. He could feel her anger, but there didn't seem to be any hatred with it. He didn't understand that. She would be wise to hate him. Hell he hated her. That thought brought with it a memory. Something, someone he knew use to say. That love and hate were two sides of the same coin. "The hell they were." He thought to himself. There wasn't any love left between them.

The traitor didn't deserve this much thought. He tried to push them out of his head. He looked at his watch. Isabel and Maria were over an hour late. Something was wrong. He looked at Michael. "Where are they?"

Michael shrugged. He knew it had been too good to last.

Max pulled out his cell phone and dialed Isabel's cell. After the sixth ring he hung up. "They're not answering."

Ava was tired of waiting and sitting in the back with the person who tried to get them all killed was not making the wait anymore pleasant. "Maybe you should call their parents and see when they left."

Max nodded and picked up the phone.

Michael reached over and took the phone from Max. He knew the calm, if you could call it that was over. "They're gone."

Part 9

Max didn't say a word. He just started the car, put it in gear and pulled out of the parking lot. Angry, furious, pissed off, none of these words described what he was feeling. Isabel was gone; there were only three of them. Their fate was sealed. He knew it in his gut.

He pushed on the accelerator. He got up to 90 mph and then 100. The car kept going faster and faster while he looked straight ahead. He could feel his blood run cold. This was the second time someone he trusted completely had betrayed him. He pushed that from his mind. He couldn't care. He had to get Isabel back. The four of them had to be together no matter the cost.

Michael, holding on for dear life, looked over at the speedometer. "Are you trying to kill us!"

Max answered but his words were spoken with an eerie calm. "No, Michael, thanks to you, we are already dead. No need to be redundant."

Ava was worried. She had never seen Max so out of control. "Please slow down a little." She pleaded.

The road to the compound was just ahead so Max answered by slamming on the brakes, causing the car to swerve erratically. "Better?"

Ava kept quiet.

Max turned the car into the small dirt road leading up to the buildings and pulled to a stop.

"We are not going to die – unless YOU kill us!" Michael said as he jumped out of the car.

Slowly, Liz and Ava also exited the car. Ava wanted to walk inside but she didn't know what Max wanted to do with Liz so she waited.

"Aren't we?" Max got out and slammed his door. "We don't have a complete unit anymore. You, by helping my loving sister escape, have sentenced us to death."

Liz didn't know what she was supposed to do either so she stood there going over in her mind Max's statements. She knew that he was right. Not just because of her journal but because she felt it in her being. It was like a memory, not of something tangible, but of a feeling. Being without Isabel would have the same effect as being without Tess.

"Max is right." Liz said softly before realizing that she probably should not get involved in this dispute. She was relieved when no one responded. "Maybe they didn't hear." She thought to herself.

Michael had known how Max felt about humans but he was talking about his sister – an Antarian. "ESCAPE! Do you hear yourself! You don't give a damn that you were keeping her against her will!"

Max words were no longer calm. "I HAD TOO! If I hadn't she would have gone to Boston with her stupid human a long time ago and gotten us all killed in the process! That includes Jesse, Maria and countless others!"

"Don't you dare bring Maria into this. You didn't do any of this to protect Maria! Hell, you threatened to KILL HER!" Michael's anger was rising exponentially. "You did it for your precious Antar! A fucked up planet, millions of light years from here!"

Max tried to calm down. He turned away for a second only to see Liz standing there. He remembered enough to know that she was disappointed in him. With rage in his eyes, he screamed at her. "DON'T YOU DARE SIT IN JUDGMENT OF ME! Not after what you did!"

Liz jumped back confused, she hadn't said a word.

Michael continued. "You didn't have to keep us hostage, Max! We would have followed you willingly to the ends of the Earth, even to Antar if you would have let us have a little peace in our lives, but because your traitor of a girlfriend left you, you couldn't bare for any of us to be happy! I might have helped Isabel escape but YOU are the one that lost her!"

"Get out of here, Ava! Take the traitor down to her friend." Max wanted them gone. He knew he didn't have anymore control over Michael and a fight was imminent.

Liz didn't know why but she felt like she needed to stay.

Ava was not so inclined. She just wanted to get out of there, let them work this out for themselves. She walked over to Liz and pulled her towards a cave in the distance.

Max didn't wait for them to go he immediately went for Michael's throat. Michael held up his hand, blasting Max. Max fell backwards, knocking the wind out of him. He caught his breath and stood up. "YOU WANT TO PLAY WITH POWERS? FINE!"

Max lifted his hand and sent a bolt of energy towards Michael, throwing him into the air. Max didn't hesitate he pounced on Michael, punching him repeatedly.

Michael wasn't letting Max win. Not this time. He felt the adrenaline and the strength that came with it. "Thank God for my human side." He thought. He pushed Max off of him; jumping up as Max did the same. He plowed into Max, punching him in the gut. Max raised his hand to use his powers but Michael used one hand to grab Max's arm and twist it in another direction, while he lifted his other hand to blast Max, he was going to kill him. He was going to do humanity a favor; he was going to rid Earth of one of the evils of Antar. Max Evans.

Ava tried to hurry her but Liz had walked slowly, watching the scene unfold. When she saw Michael get the upper hand she instinctively knew what was going to happen. Unexplained panic engulfed her. She broke away from Ava and ran towards Max and Michael. She had to stop them. 

Michael felt the energy of the blast hit him. He felt his body fly through the air and then hit with a thump. "What the hell?" He knew that Max hadn't been in a position to blast him. He got up, taking inventory. There had to be broken ribs. He didn't know if it was from the fight with Max or the blast.

Michael's confusion only lasted a second. When he looked up he saw Liz standing near to where the fight had taken place, he knew what had happened. She had stopped him from killing Max. He didn't know why she had done it and he knew that it didn't prove anything but at that point he started to question the veracity of Liz Parker's betrayal.

Max didn't realize what had happened either, until he got off the ground. Standing in front of him was Liz, judgment no longer filling her eyes. His mind blanked. For the briefest of moments he could feel the weakness, but then he noticed how she was looking at him. Her pity ignited his anger once again. He turned away from her, memories of her betrayals flashed in his mind. "You can keep your pity for yourself! You're going to need it."

Ava ran up to them. Out of breath, she apologized. "I'm sorry; I didn't know she would take off."

Max nodded, strengthening his resolve once again. "Just get her away from me!"

Ava grabbed Liz by the arm and dragged her off.

Michael walked up to Max and looked him in the eye. Max's words were still harsh but Michael saw something in Max's eyes that he had thought was long dead. He saw the tiniest glimpse of Max's humanity.

Michael knew then that death was too good for Max. Max needed to suffer, long and hard and Liz Parker might just be the catalyst needed to accomplish that goal, but he was done. He was washing his hands of Max Evans. "I'm leaving." He said firmly as he turned and walked away, leaving Max alone.

Part 10

Max stood by the car, watching Liz disappear into the granilith cave. He questioned her motives for wanting to come. He realized that part of her reasoning was to make sure her friend was ok, though; Max couldn't get rid of the feeling that she was also there to spy for Khivar?

Part of Max didn't care about her motives. He wanted to follow her and shake the truth out of her. He wanted her to explain her actions; to tell him why; to beg for forgiveness and to throw herself at his mercy. He knew that he couldn't; at least not now. He had to deal with the other problem at hand.

Max looked towards Michael; he could still make out his silhouette in the distance. Max's first thought was to let him leave, to give up. If Isabel was gone then there was no point. It was over and having Michael around wouldn't change a damn thing. They would all be dead soon. He knew it in his soul.

He smiled wryly. Michael had accused him of only caring about Antar, but he had been wrong. It had never been about Antar. It had always been about keeping them alive. With that thought Max's determination returned. Michael had to stay and Isabel would be found. They would defeat Khivar and then, after it was over, they could find peace.

He turned and walked into the main building, immediately calling for Langley and Onuris.

"Langley, Michael is walking south, towards the outer perimeter. Take whatever help you need but you are not to let him leave. Put him in the cages if you have to." 

Langley bowed, waiting for any other instructions that the king would give him.

Max shooed him away. "Go – NOW!"

Langley scurried off to fulfill his assignment. 

Onuris bowed low as he took a step forward to receive his orders.

Max knew Onuris might be the only one who could complete this mission. It had to be someone with a strong mind. "My sister has fled with Michael's human and probably hers too. I want her found and brought back here. Michael most likely has information about their whereabouts. When Langley gets him back, we will find out what he knows, but for now try to contact Isabel with your mind. We might get lucky."

"What are your orders concerning the humans that your sister is traveling with?"

Max thought about it. "Let them go."

"Sire?" Onuris did not look pleased.

Max was not in the mood for questions. "I said LET THEM GO!"

Onuris bowed again. "As you wish, sire. Will there be anything else?"

Max shook his head. Then added, "Wake me if there is anything to report." He walked out of the room before Onuris could respond.

It was late and Serena was being escorted back to her cell. She walked through the door to find Gail – Liz (she corrected herself). She ran up and hugged her. "Boo, don't tell me that caught you?"

Shaking her head, Liz hugged her back. "No – they didn't. I came willingly."

Serena let go of her. "Why the hell would you do that? Don't you dare tell me it was because you were worried about me?"

Liz shrugged a little. "You and Kyle." She saw Serena wanted more information so she continued. "Kyle is an old friend of mine. I had a vision about him, it wasn't good, I was worried, and I thought if I came with Max I could prevent the vision from happening."

Serena sat down on the bed and motioned for Liz to do the same. "So did you? Is Kyle alright? And what's with this Max guy? You have to tell me everything!"

"Yeah – Kyle's fine. Max isn't."

"So you remember your life before me?" Serena smiled; she liked to pretend that she thought she was the center of everyone's universe.

"No, I don't remember anymore but I do know more." Liz told Serena all that had happened since Serena had been abducted. How she had found her way home, how she had filled in the pieces of her life with the help of her parents, her journal and Kyle.

She had been hesitant to tell her about the journal and what was in it, but she finally did, figuring Serena had a right to know.

Liz was surprised that Serena didn't seem bothered by any of it. "So this doesn't freak you out?"

Serena laughed. "Boo, I may look young but I've seen a lot in my life, enough to know that you have to keep an open mind. Besides, your boy Max told me his little secret."

"On his own?" Liz was surprised since she had gotten the impression from her journal and Kyle that sharing their alien status was not something they did often.

"I think I annoyed him and he did it to scare me. I suppose it worked for a half a second but now I'm ok with it."

Liz realized that if Max told Serena, then Serena was in real danger. She knew that she had to tell Serena all of it. "There's more. When I got here, Michael and Max got into a fight. I think Michael was going to kill Max. I stopped him."

Serena nodded. "I would expect nothing less."

"Don't you understand? If Max was dead, I think they would have let you go. I stopped that. I'm so sorry." She pleaded for forgiveness.

Serena put her arm around Liz. "There's nothing to forgive so don't fret about it. I don't want to leave yet. They have this amazing machine here, called the granilith. I've never seen anything like it. That's why they brought me here – to study it. They want to know how it works and I'm not leaving until I find out."

Liz started to tear up, partly because she was emotionally and physically wiped out but also, she didn't think Serena understood the situation. "They might kill you when you figure it out. I might have sentenced you to death by saving Max."

"Liz, honey, I'm not worried." She couldn't tell Liz but she knew her destiny, and dying at the hands of Max the alien king didn't play into it. "And I don't want you blaming yourself. Your journal said that you loved him – right?"

Liz nodded.

"Well, then you had to save him." Serena said matter-of-factly. "Look, boo, you don't have to agree with me but I believe that love that is conditional isn't love. So basically, true love has to last forever. Now sometimes that love evolves into something different but it always remains in some form. If you truly loved him then you still do, and your heart knows it even if you don't."

"But . . . "Liz started to protest.

Serena put her hand up. "Stop there. I will be fine, I promise. Your alien king will not cause my death."

Liz wanted to tell her more about the granilith and knowing Serena in an alternate timeline, but exhaustion was getting the better of her. 

Serena noticed. "Get some sleep Boo. You can use my bed. I have some work to do anyway. We can talk more about all this tomorrow."

Liz really wasn't in a position to argue. She was out before her head hit the pillow.

He walked into his room to find her sitting there. She might not have her true form but he knew who it was. Immediately he bowed low. "Your majesty."

"So I see we have a problem."

He was shaking. He was just a lowly servant and was rarely in the presence of royalty. He stood up but kept his eyes on the ground. "Yes, your highness, we do. Your son has taken the human girl to his headquarters."

"And you allowed this!"

"Yes ma'am I did." He knew it was pointless to give her any of his reasons. She would not accept them. 

"The second transport is on its way. I hope for the sake of Antar that my children will return on it. We must make sure that Zan comes home."

"Your son would leave now if he could but your daughter may be another problem."

"Yes, her human man. Vilandra might believe that her heart belongs to him, but it doesn't, her heart is here and when the time arrives she will come home. My son is the one we must worry about." 

He didn't agree but he nodded anyway.

"When you return expect to be punished."

"Of course." He answered.

She stood up and walked from his room, ridding herself of the body she had used.

_She had been there, smiling up at him and telling him all that he wanted to hear. That she loved him, she would always be there for him. The others looked on, disapprovingly. They wanted her gone but he wouldn't listen. She was part of his soul, the reason he was alive. He didn't care if it was right or wrong. He would keep her by his side, no matter the cost. _

_The cost was clear when Khivar appeared with malice in his eyes. Max couldn't move, he held on to his love, trying to protect her from the evil, while he watched as his nemesis murdered Michael, Isabel and Ava. _

_He looked down at her when he felt her pushing away from him. He saw the betrayal in her eyes. He dropped his arms, defeated. She ran to Khivar. Khivar raised his hands to inflict the final blow. Max looked over at his betrayer. She was watching, mocking him. _

Max was startled awake to someone beating on his door. "Dammit." He should have been happy that his dream was interrupted but mutiny was tiring and even if it was infected with dreams, he needed sleep. He got out of bed and walked to the door, answering it. Langley stood in front of him, looking a little worse for wear. Max knew only one person could have done this to Langley. "Michael?"

"Yes sir. We have him but he isn't too happy about it. We had to put him down in the cages. He's not talking."

Max nodded. "I will speak to him in the morning. Anything else?"

"No sire." Langley walked away from the door.

Disquieted, Max closed the door. He knew that Michael would be a problem but that wasn't what bothered him. It was the dream. Dreams were something that Max had done away with a long time ago, or at least he thought he had. Now they were back and he knew it was the traitor's fault.

He went to his bathroom and splashed water on his face. He had to compose himself. He looked up and saw his reflection in the mirror, he looked terrible. Tired and unshaven.

He heard her voice. "Max is right."

"How the hell does she know if I'm right or not!" He thought.

He grabbed his jeans and yanked them on. He was convinced that Khivar had told her. He also decided that this claim of memory loss was bullshit. He was going to find out the truth. He opened the door to his room and headed down to the cages.


	2. Chapter 11 to 20

Part 11

Silently walking into the cave, Max took noticed of the darkness. Except for a few guards keeping watch, everyone was asleep. He didn't care. He was going to find out what the traitor knew.

He stopped for a brief instant in front of Dr. Baptiste's door, trying to decide how best to handle the situation. It was unlike him to rush into anything without a plan, well; at least it had been before a few days ago, when he saw the traitor's picture.

His anger was understandable. She deserved all his wrath for her betrayal. Hell, she had almost gotten his whole family killed. But he knew his anger wasn't caused by her traitorous act. She had fooled him. She had made him believe that she loved him. He had trusted her, he had loved her, he had held her sacred and she had taken those feelings and used them against him. And now, she was there, evoking emotion in him, emotion that had lain dormant for so long.

He swung the door open and took an inventory of the room. Dr. Baptiste was getting up from her desk while Liz lay on the bed peacefully asleep. His anger intensified. She had no right to sleep like that when he couldn't.

Ignoring the doctor, he walked over to the bed. He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her awake. "Get up!" He demanded. "I want some answers!"

Serena was aware of the alien king before he opened the door. There was an extra intensity in the air when he was around. As soon as he walked through the door she had noticed his anger. She stood up from her desk readying her defense if it was needed. He didn't even give her a second look. Obviously she wasn't seen as a force to be reckoned with.

Liz opened her eyes to find Max looking down at her, screaming something. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Tired, she felt the aggravation of being awakened. Was the punishment for her supposed crimes sleep deprivation? Frustrated, she ran her hand through her hair.

"How the hell do you know we need all four of us to survive!" He yelled.

"What are you talking about?" She was calm but she didn't think that would last if he continued to scream in her face.

"You said I was right about needing Isabel – how do you know that!"

"I don't know. It just came to me. I just knew." She knew her journal had said that they couldn't survive without Tess but it had been more then that. It had been a memory. She considered telling him about the journal. What could it hurt? She had read in it about a time when it went missing. She knew from that entry that Max had known she had kept one, but now, she was unsure if the secrets the journal held should be let out in the open.

"You're lying about not remembering! I KNOW IT! You've really improved on your skills as a liar!" Under his breath he muttered, "What can we expect from a traitor?"

"I am not lying!" She yelled, losing the cool she had previously had. "I don't remember much! Sometimes things just come to me!"

Liz looked into his eyes. She heard him yelling, she heard her responding but all coherent thoughts faded away. She knew in an instant that her answer had not been the one he wanted. She felt the heat of his anger.

Max picked her up off the bed and pushed her back against a nearby wall. He grabbed her around the neck and started to yell. "I KNOW YOU'RE LYING! SO TELL ME – HOW THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW THESE THINGS! DID YOUR FRIEND KHIVAR TELL YOU?"

Liz cowered from him. She felt his hand around her throat; she could see the hatred in his eyes. Was he going to kill her? She never believed that was possible. "Holy shit" she thought, "I might die and I'm getting memories back." She wanted to answer him but she couldn't, he was holding her throat too tight.

Never one to panic, Serena saw the need for action. She picked up the chair from her desk and swung it at the alien king.

Max heard Serena's attack coming. He turned enough to deflect the chair with his powers. The chair flew through the air landing hard against the far wall.

Serena stood in awe for a few seconds. Then regained her composure and looked around for some other weapon but couldn't find one. She walked up to him and kicked him as hard as she could in the shin. She knew from experience that fighting fair when your life was in danger was just plain stupid. The man barely moved. She knew she had hurt him but he didn't even acknowledge it. "Where was that pharmacy man when you needed him?" She asked herself. Liz had said he and Max had fought earlier, she figured he might have been some help.

Max looked down at Liz. She was in a panic. He could feel her hands trying to pull his away as she gasped for breath. A minuscule amount of compassion swept over him. He saw what he was doing and loosened his grip, slowly taking his hand from around her neck. He had wanted answers but he hadn't wanted to hurt her, at least, not yet. Liz relaxed a bit. She rubbed her neck and coughed a few times. Max gave her a moment and then advanced again. He wanted answers. He willed her to give them to him. He grabbed her by the arms. "Answer me; tell me how you know what you claim to know!" He demanded.

There was no connection but he had felt it. Some of his power flowed out of him and into her.

Pissed off, Michael paced back and forth in the cage. He knew that he could walk out of the cell at any time, and he realized that Max knew it also. Max had only put him down here to make a point. Well, that and to assure himself that he would be informed if Michael did decide to leave.

Michael also understood that Max might keep him against his will but would not kill him. He was part of Max's precious royal four, therefore assuring that Michael was needed to fight Khivar.

Michael knew that Max would be on guard now. He wouldn't make the same mistake he had earlier in the evening. If Michael made a move against him Max's guards would deal with Michael, using whatever force necessary short of death. He had lost the element of surprise and given up his chance to do away with Max.

"Who the hell does Max think he is?" He mumbled. Of course he knew the answer. Max was the King. Michael had always thought he understood. He understood that Max was under more pressure then the rest of them. At just sixteen he had found out that he was a planets savior. He was a king. It was different for princes in royal families on earth. They knew from birth their purpose. They knew that they would be a ruler someday but Max hadn't been prepared for it. It was just dropped in his lap one day.

It didn't matter to Michael how much he understood Max. Max was wrong and he wasn't going to stand for it.

Michael heard yelling from one of the other cages. "What the hell is going on?" He thought. The next thing he heard was a crash.

Michael pushed the door open. It wasn't even locked. "Damn, Max is smug bastard." He thought.

Liz peered at Max. Vague memories were returning. She could remember who he use to be, the love she had for him, but her memories weren't completely aligned. She could remember bits and pieces but the whole wasn't there.

Serena took advantage of the moment and pushed her way between Max and Liz. Looking at Max squarely in the eyes she jammed a finger into his chest. "I have known both kings and slaves in my lifetime and you are more of a slave then a king!"

Michael smiled. He couldn't believe what the scene unfolding before him. Max was letting a human tell him off. He walked through the door. "What is going on in here? Hell, Maxwell if you are going to force me to stay here the least you could do is let me get some sleep."

Max glared at Michael but didn't say a word. Instead he took hold of Serena and shoved her at Michael.

Serena was about to say something else but Michael caught her eye and shook his head. Then he pulled her out of the room. He didn't know what was going on but he did know that the doctor didn't need to be involved.

Max glowered at Liz. He knew what the power drain had been. He saw a new recognition in her eyes. She remembered something. For a brief moment he was confused. He didn't know if he had healed her by accident or just by sheer will, a need for her to give him answers. But he had. Maybe not completely, maybe not intentionally but it had happened.

"What the hell did you do that for! He was going to kill Liz!" Serena was pissed. She wanted to be in her room helping her friend.

"But he didn't." Michael answered calmly. She wasn't thinking. She just wanted to rush into that room and save her friend - damn the consequences. He felt the beginnings of melancholy with the realization of how alike Serena and Maria were.

"He might still! I should be in there – stopping him!"

"He's not going to kill her."

Serena had seen Max, how angry he looked, she was not convinced. "How in the hell do you know!"

Michael shrugged. "I suppose I don't. I'm just making an educated guess."

"Well, I don't trust your guesses. I'm going in there!" Serena reached for the door handle.

Michael snatched her hand away. "Do you really think you could stop him? If he wanted to kill her, it wouldn't matter who was in there, she would be dead!"

Serena dropped her hand, defeated. She knew Michael was right. She had seen how he reacted to her attempts to help Liz. They hadn't even fazed him, but she wanted to help. She didn't want another friend to die young. She turned to Michael. "Please help her."

Michael saw that the doctor's eyes were starting to tear. He never could stand to see a female cry, but he knew that if Max was going to kill Liz then there was nothing he could do either. He wanted to comfort her, to assure her that Liz would still be breathing when Max walked out of the room they were in but he couldn't. Nothing he could say would help.

Liz was still rubbing her neck. She had been almost certain that Max was going to kill her, but something had stopped him.

Max grabbed her by the arms and turned her around so that she had to look at him. He was calmer now, knowing that at least part of her memory loss had been real, but he was still demanding answers.

Liz noticed something different when she looked up into his eyes. The vacancy in them was gone, overpowered by torment. She wasn't upset, she wasn't scared; she was saddened. Saddened by what he had become. She looked away. She couldn't look into his eyes knowing that he believed what he did about her.

Finally she decided to give him some of his answers – maybe to heal his pain or maybe just to get him to leave her alone. "I knew because I read it in my journal."

Max hadn't thought of her journal in years. She had claimed once that she wrote everything in it. They had looked for it when she disappeared but when they couldn't find it they had assumed that she had taken it with her. "Where is it now?"

She didn't want him to know and go get it. She didn't want him to read it. She shook her head and lied. "I destroyed it."

Max watched her, realizing that he had been wrong about her ability to lie. She was lying now – he knew it. He didn't know what he would find in the journal but he knew he would find something. He was calm but firm as he repeated the question. "Where is it now?"

She stared at him. She was determined not to answer.

"Look, you can tell me or I will send men to your parents house and tear it apart brick by brick until they find it. Your choice."

She saw his resolve and had a feeling that he would do what he said. "Fine, you want to know what is in the journal – how about if I just tell you!"

"You see – that might work if I trusted you – but I don't. Where is the journal?"

She sat back down on the bed. She was so tired. She gave up. "It's behind a loose brick on the roof."

Feeling as if he had won some major battle, Max smiled. He knew she was telling the truth. He let go of her and turned to leave.

Liz watched as he started to walk out. She knew he was going back to Roswell. Soon he would know everything that she did.

She thought about Roswell and her parents. They had to be worried sick, not knowing where she was. She stood up and called after Max. "Can I please call my parents? I will tell them whatever you want me to but they will be worried. I want to ease their minds."

Max turned, his anger was back. "You want to call your parents so they aren't worried! I don't think so! You decided to run off six odd years ago and you never bothered to call us! We were fucking worried too!" He was yelling. This really ticked him off. "Of course" he added, "we were worried about the wrong thing!"

"Please Max." Liz pleaded.

"They aren't worried. I already took care of them." He knew he was being an ass but he didn't care. He just wanted her to feel a small amount of the pain that he had so many years ago.

Immediately Max knew that she had come to the conclusion that he had tired to steer her towards – he saw it in her face as she lunged at him.

Becoming hysterical she fought like a wounded animal. Her blows were not effective but she didn't care. She struck out at him anyway she could. Punching, kicking, and scratching. She wanted him dead. She couldn't believe that just moments before she had felt some kind of affection towards him. Now it had been replaced with loathing.

Max didn't even feel the pain of her strike. He was numb to it all. He pinned her against a wall before he pushed her down. He walked to the door and opened the door. She attacked again, but this time, aware of what was happening, guards came to hold her back. Max turned to leave.

"YOU KILLED THEM! YOU BASTARD!" He heard her yell as he walked down the long hallway.

Relieved but also concerned, Serena ran into the room as soon as Max cleared the doorway. She saw Liz doing her best to free herself from the guard that held her. Serena grabbed the guard to pull him away from her friend but he forced her away immediately with his hand.

Michael walked in behind Serena, saw what was going on and motioned for the guard to leave. Almost instantly the guard let go and walked out of the room. Liz ran to the door but was stopped by Michael.

"LET ME GO! HE KILLED MY PARENTS!" Liz screamed.

Michael didn't let go. "Calm down Liz." He said calmly.

"I will not calm down! He killed my parents! The bastard killed . . ."

"No he didn't! Michael drowned the rest of the sentence out. "Your parents are fine. Ava just mindwarped them, they don't remember you being there."

"But he said . . ." Liz stopped there. He hadn't said that he had killed them; he had just said that he had taken care of them.

Max knew he had done what he set out to do, he had hurt her. The problem was it didn't give him the satisfaction he thought it would. He even felt a twinge of regret. Maybe it hadn't because he knew her pain was about to end, his never would. As he got to the end of the hall he heard her quiet down and knew that Michael had already told her the truth.

He was chastising himself as he climbed out of the cave. Not for what he did but what he felt. Jealousy, compassion and regret all in one day. Emotions, he hadn't felt in years but one small woman, even if she was a traitor, could bring it out in him. She was some kind of witch who could cast a spell on him and make him weak, he knew it. Well, it was going to stop. He was going to find a way to break free of her spell if it was the last thing he ever did.

Part 12

Exhausted, Max climbed up the fire escape onto the balcony. At three in the morning he could be almost certain that the Parker's would be in bed and wouldn't notice his intrusion. Looking around he noticed that nothing had changed in the four years that he had stayed away.

He walked over to the wall that once held their initials in a large heart. For a moment, as he touched the wall, he mourned the loss of their love but then regained his composure, attributing his sentimentality to fatigue. "I was such a fool." He thought before moving on to the task at hand.

He started looking over each brick, trying to find the loose one.

"Go fish." Serena smiled.

Serena and Michael had been sitting on the floor by Serena's cage door for hours, playing cards and talking. They had managed to calm Liz down and convince her that she needed to get some rest, telling her that they would talk in the morning.

The two had discussed sports, politics and music before Michael started to fascinate her with all things alien. Explaining, some of the history and dynamics of the group that Liz had once been a valued member.

Eventually though, the conversation turned to what Michael really wanted to talk about, Maria. He told Serena how they had met and fallen in love, about the good times and the bad. How he had made her leave and how he expected to never see her again. It had been less then 24 hours but he already ached with the loss.

Serena's heart went out to him but she could tell that Michael hadn't told her so that she could feel sorry for him – he had told her because he just needed to talk about it – so she kept her mouth shut and listened.

Eventually Michael changed the subject back to lighter issues. He took a card. "So you don't sleep?"

"Any 8's? No not really. Never more then five hours a night. What about you?" Serena was enjoying being out of her cell. "The guy might be good for something besides distributing pharmaceuticals." She thought. 

"Go fish. Aliens don't need as much sleep as humans."

Serena nodded putting down her cards. "This is really a stupid game."

Michael took the cards she had laid down and started shuffling. "You're the one who wanted to play Go Fish."

"You're the one who didn't know how to play Canasta."

Michael rolled his eyes. "No one knows how to play Canasta."

Serena watched him shuffling. "So tell me something."

"Yeah?"

"If you all need me so bad, to figure out the granilith, what would you all have done if I died from your drug spree?"

Michael shrugged. "Max would have healed you."

"Like he did Liz?"

Michael nodded his head and started dealing the cards. 

"So is your king going to try and kill me when I find out how your granilith works?" She wasn't worried about it but she thought she would ask.

"We've had a lot of scientists come through here that haven't been able to figure out the granilith. What makes you so sure that you can?"

Serena picked up her cards. "What are we playing? I'm smarter then them." When she saw Michael start to roll his eyes she added, "It's just a fact. Anyway, you're avoiding my question."

"Rummy – Look, I don't know what he plans. I know that he has never killed anyone that could be mindwarped."

"Mindwarped?"

Michael put down some cards. "Yeah – it's what Ava does. She goes into your head and kind of replaces memories that are about us with new ones."

"Is that what happened to Liz?" Serena played her cards.

Michael shrugged. "I don't know. I guess it's possible. Maybe after our enemies got the information that they wanted out of her. Of course if they did – they must have done it wrong. She shouldn't have lost all her memories."

"So you believe that she betrayed you?" 

"Honestly I don't know what to think anymore. It took me a long time to believe that she would sell out Max in the first place. But eventually I changed my mind. We all did. Until tonight I would have bet my life that she had betrayed us. But then she just tried to save him. I can't believe that she would try and save Max from me if she had wanted us dead anyway." He picked up some cards from the pile.

"I know you haven't told me the whole story about what went on between you people, but from knowing Gail" Serena corrected herself, "or Liz for the last three years, I can't imagine her ever turning on her friends."

Michael shrugged and played some cards. Knowing the truth would not be discovered tonight, he changed the subject again. "So Liz is a psychic now?"

Serena nodded. "Yep."

"So is she for real or does she just bullshit people?"

"Well, she can't read me but I'm hard to read." Serena gave Michael a knowing look. "I tend to believe that she is for real.

Michael started to comment but stopped when he heard Liz cry out. Worried that something was wrong, he jumped up and went for the door handle.

"Don't!" Serena ordered. She knew that Liz didn't need a freaked out Michael running in and waking her up. "There's nothing in there that can hurt her. Let her deal with her dreams on her own."

"Dreams? Are you sure?"

Serena nodded. "They may help her remember. It may be the only way, unless your friend Max wants to use his healing magic on her."

"I don't think that will happen."

They stopped playing their game and sat silently at the door listening to Liz cry in her sleep.

Max passed the formation that concealed the pod chamber. He pulled the car to a stop. Grabbing the journal, he got out and walked up to the rocks. He had planned on going back to the compound before reading it but his curiosity had gotten the better of him.

He sat down on one of the rocks, ran his hand over the book, causing it to glow, opened it and started to read.

_September 23rd. Journal entry one. I'm Liz Parker and five days ago I died. After that, things got really weird..._

Certain passages started jumping out at him.

_And what is he thinking right now? Is he also obsessed, tortured, going through one sleepless night to the next, wondering what's going to happen between us?_

He knew what would happen between then now. He would eventually rid himself of her, but he couldn't stop thinking that, at this moment, he was in fact, obsessed, tortured and not sleeping.

_Ever since I found out about Max and Michael and Isabel, I've been thinking a lot about secrets. That for everyone who has a secret, there's someone else who needs to know what that secret is. And now even I, Liz Parker, the smallest of small town girls with the simplest of lives-- even I have something to hide._

Indignation got the better of him. "Yeah – she has something to hide and I need to know it." He grumbled. Reading on in hopes that he would discover the secrets she kept.

_The tough thing about following your heart is what people forget to mention, that sometimes your heart takes you to places you shouldn't be, places that are as scary as they are exciting and as dangerous as they are alluring, and sometimes your heart takes you to places that can never lead to a happy ending._

He felt the weight of knowing that she had realized long ago that their end would not be happy.

_Have you ever had a moment when you're with the one person in the world you want to be with and the wind is blowing through your hair and the song that just describes your entire soul happens to come on, and then the person that you want to be with happens to love the same song and suddenly you realize you're listening to it together? And that no matter how crazy your life has gotten there's this one moment...this perfect moment...where you could just say that no matter what happens, nothing can take this moment away from me.._

The fury was replaced by memories of their love. He remembered her as she once had been, not the traitor she was now.

She had written everything. How complete she had felt when they first kissed to how despondent she had been the day in the cave when she walked away from him.

He looked up to see the first signs of dawn. He knew he needed to get back but he couldn't leave. Not until he finished.

_We try to live responsible, logical lives. But we can't tell our hearts how to feel. Sometimes our hearts lead us to places we never thought we wanted to go. And sometimes are hearts can be the sweetest, gentlest things we have. Sometimes are hearts can make us feel miserable, angry, excited and confused. All at once. But at least my heart is open. And I'm writing again. I'm feeling. I'm breathing._

He was confused when he looked at the date. It was after junior prom. She hadn't written for almost a year. He turned the page and found the explanation.

_Have you ever told a lie to someone you love? Not the kind used to save their feelings, but the kind that tears a person up inside, that unforgivable lie that breaks your loved one's heart. Six months ago I told that lie to the love of my life, Max Evans. _

She went on to tell how a future version of him used the granilith to come back in time and convince her that she had to lie to him in order to save the world. Sleeping with Kyle had been a ruse to save the world, to save them all.

_When the person you love most in the universe, crosses space and time to ask you to save your friends and the world from destruction, you do it. Even if the price of what he asks is the destruction of your dreams. _

She wrote in detail about a wedding that this supposed future version of him told her about.

_I cry for the loss of something I never had. For the song that won't be played, for the wedding that won't take place, for the friends that won't share in our joy. _

The entry included very little about why this had all happened. There were only one or two sentences that explained it. Their enemies invaded and they had been unable to fight them off without Tess.

She ended with her feelings, her beliefs.

_You know that feeling you get when the person you love, who use to love you, is near and your only wish in the world is for them to hold you and tell you that everything will be alright – but then they don't? That feeling that causes your chest to tighten up until you can't breath and your mind to turn to mush, unable to form a coherent thought. That feeling that makes your eyes plead for mercy, even if your mouth can't. That is the feeling I get when Max is around. _

_Max always said that we make our own destiny, but I know now that he was wrong. Destiny is determined, not by us, but by some irresistible force. We can't fight it. And now as I watch him finding the destiny he was born for, my heart shatters once again. _

Although there was more, he closed the book slowly and looked out at the morning colors of the desert, trying to assimilate what he had just read. Right or wrong she had sacrificed her dreams for them.

He felt the tears behind his eyes but they wouldn't flow, they had forgotten how.

Part 13a

Liz's dreams started peacefully enough. There were dreams of childhood and family holidays spent with laughter, dreams of playing with Maria and meeting Alex for the first time. There were dreams of more recent times, dreams of Michael, giving her back her journal, dreams of Isabel, painting their nails, and dreams of Max, kissing in the moonlight.

Then it all changed. She was at the Crashdown with all her friends having a great time, talking about school and movies and such. When all of a sudden the restaurant went dark and all her friends except for Max ran away. She felt someone else there with them. She turned to see the outline of two enormous men. She started to run but tripped. She yelled for Max to help but he didn't answer.

The men came over to her and held her down, not with their bodies but with their minds. She couldn't move or scream. She was paralyzed. Her eyes focused on Max, pleading for him to help her but he was backing away, the love that had been in his eyes turning to disdain.

In the blink of an eye the men took her into a cold, dark room and handed her a baby. In this room, everything, including the baby, was much too large for her. It was like she was a small child in an adult world. She couldn't reach the table tops or get onto the chairs. She looked up and saw a window far above her. Looking out she could see that the sky had an eerie red-gray hue that is seen sometimes during dusk. She noticed more then one moon and knew that she wasn't on earth.

A large, distorted man walked in wielding an ominous bladed weapon. He took the baby from her and started to brutally dismember it. Liz cried out for the man to stop. But he ignored her. She tried to go over to him, she wanted to fight him, to protect the child, but she couldn't. Her feet were glued to the floor. She turned to find a mirror to her side. Her reflection terrified her. Her face looked as if it had been mutilated. Her body was covered with blood.

All of a sudden, he stopped and smiled. Then, putting the baby down, he walked out of the room.

She immediately took a step towards the baby, wanting to hold and comfort it, but stopped. The baby was growing at an extremely rapid rate. The child became a man in seconds. When the transformation was complete, he glared at her with evil in his eyes.

Fear engulfed her body as she ran across a room through a door to the outside. Barefoot, she felt the grass beneath her feet, except it wasn't grass; it was more like moss with sharp stickers in it. The pain of it didn't dissuade her; she ran hard and fast knowing that someone was chasing her, using dogs or some kind of animal to track her. She saw a river and jumped into it. The water was warm and thick. It clung to her body like day old sweat. She didn't think about the feeling she just started to swim.

Long before she could make it to the other side, the animals caught up with her. The huge creatures surrounded her in the water, growling, keeping her at bay until their master could get to her. She stared into their beady eyes. They looked like a cross between a dog and a snake. She tried to move away but as soon as she did, they attacked. Fighting, she slipped under the water and passed out.

Max turned up the radio in his car, trying to drown out his thoughts. His mind has been in turmoil since he read Liz's journal. He now had a better understanding of what had happened back then but he was determined not to forgive her for the Kyle fiasco. She had lied to him. It was that simple.

The problem was he knew it wasn't that simple. He knew that it was causing feelings to reemerge, feelings that had been locked up for years. Already, he felt his stomach grumble knowing that he could go and see her at any time, knowing that he could get close enough to her to smell the sweet scent of her hair, touch her warm skin, and look into her beautiful eyes.

He knew he was losing control. She was still a traitor. He had seen it with his own eyes. She had been in a room with Khivar and Nicholas. She had told them everything they had wanted to know, without any coercion. Of course, he had also seen her in bed with Kyle, and that had been a deception, could her betrayal be one too?

He knew he had to stop. He was making himself crazy. Circumstances had thrown them into an impossible situation. One that maybe, should have never happened, but it had, and he was not going to surrender to it. Nothing he had discovered changed anything. He still had a mission and one little brunette from his past would not change that.

Michael sat on a chair reading a magazine, while Serena worked at her desk. Liz had calmed down and was now sleeping peacefully.

Serena looked up from her work. "I'm starting to get hungry. When is our mush coming?"

"Mush?" Michael questioned.

"Yeah – mush. It's like runny oatmeal or something."

"Oh – no. We can't have that." Michael got up, opened the door and called for a guard.

"We want to order breakfast."

The guard stood at attention. "Yes sir."

"I want pancakes with maple syrup and hot sauce." He motioned toward Serena. "What do you want?"

Serena was thrilled. "Eggs - scrambled, sausage, biscuits. Too much?"

Michael shook his head. "No they can handle it." He turned towards the guard. "Right?"

"Of course sir." The guard answered and started to turn away. 

"Wait." Serena called out. "I would like some REAL coffee, not the watered down shit you've been giving me and some Tabasco for the eggs."

The guard nodded but Michael looked at her strangely.

Serena widened her eyes. "What!"

"He thinks you're an alien because aliens like hot sauce." Liz had awakened and answered. 

Serena laughed. "Yeah – you're right, me and about 90 percent of the people who live in New Orleans."

Michael ignored her. "Liz you want anything?"

Liz's stomach was a mess but she knew she had to eat something. "Coffee and some toast would be fine."

Michael looked over at the guard. "Do you need me to write this down for you?" 

"No sir." 

"Then go! Get our breakfast." Michael was getting impatient.

"Yes sir – right away." The guard ran off.

"That was great." Serena smiled at him. "Glad you have some kind of pull around here."

"Well, they aren't sure how long my feud with Max will last so they don't want to piss me off too bad. I might tell on them." He smiled mischievously.

Serena rolled her eyes and sat down on the bed next to Liz, putting her arm around her. "So how are you doing, Boo?"

Liz shrugged. "Ok – I guess."

Michael walked over to them. "So you were freaking us out with those dreams of yours."

"Do you want to talk about them?" Serena asked.

Still uneasy from her dreams, Liz shook her head. She didn't know what to make of them. Thanks to Max healing her, she could remember everything about Roswell but she was still missing three and a half years of her life. She knew her dreams were telling her something about them but she didn't know what. Where they actually memories or were they something else – symbolism? Until she knew she wouldn't be able decipher them.

Michael was going to ask something else until he saw Serena furiously shaking her head at him.

Liz stood up and walked to the bathroom. She needed a shower. 

"Why the hell did you stop me?" Michael asked Serena when Liz was out of ear shot.

"When Liz wants to talk about them she will. She doesn't need you interrogating her."

"How dare you summon me!" 

"I'm sorry, your majesty. There has been a development that I thought you would want to know about."

Impatiently she asked,"How have you failed me now?"

"The girl kept a journal and your son has discovered it."

The man was happy that the dowager queen embodied a human; he could just imagine the death look he would be getting if he could see her true form. 

"First you allow her to be taken by Zan and now you allow him to find a book that she, no doubt, wrote all about her love for my son." 

"Yes ma'am."

"I have heard that Vilandra has left her duties to follow her human. Is this correct?"

The man's head was sinking lower. He nodded.

"Do you know where she has gone?"

"No I do not. Zan has Onirus looking for her."

"I want you to make sure I know where she is before my son does. Do you understand? We will have to use drastic measures to fix this mess that you have allowed to happen."

"Yes your majesty." He answered as she walked out the door.

Part 13b

The three prisoners ate their breakfast in silence. Serena enjoying every morsel of the real food, Liz barely stomaching the toast she had ordered and Michael just watching the two of them.

Finally Liz pushed her dream out of her mind. She had to function. She looked up at Serena. "I wanted to tell you something last night." She started.

"What was that, Boo?"

"Something that might help with the granilith. It was used as a time machine. Max came from the future and . . ." She stopped for a second to weigh the consequences of what she was saying but then remembered that Max would know all about it after he read her journal. "and told me to make him fall out of love with him. He also told me that you were the one who discovered how to use it to go back in time."

Michael was staring at her in disbelief; Serena was a little more open to what Liz was saying but still skeptical.

"Look, before you two start to believe I'm a lunatic or something let me explain. I know it was him. He knew things that only Max, at least Max from the future could know."

"Like?" Michael questioned.

"Like what Max would do. He knew that Max would serenade me at a specific time. He knew that he wouldn't take no for an answer when I told him I wouldn't got to Gomez. Things like that."

Liz first looked at Michael. He wasn't convinced. Serena was a different story. Liz let out a chuckle when she looked into Serena's eyes. It was just like some old cartoon, she could almost see the gears working in her mind. 

Excited, Serena jumped out of her chair. If what Liz was saying was true then she, Serena Baptiste, was about to prove the holy grail of science. She turned towards the door, she had work to do, but then suddenly she stopped.

Liz saw her stop; she knew Serena was worried about leaving her alone. Liz shook her head at Serena. "No – you go. I'm fine!" Liz chuckled. Serena was rarely excited about anything and seeing her reaction to Liz's news was uplifting.

Serena went and gave Liz a quick hug. "Have someone come get me if you need me. Ok?"

"I will." Liz agreed.

Serena glanced over at Michael. When she saw him nodding his agreement, she ran out the door.

During the following seconds Michael and Liz just stared at each other, neither one knowing what to say. Michael finally decided to try and start a conversation. "She's was in a hurry."

Liz just nodded. She could tell that he wanted to talk but she didn't know what to say.

They were quiet for a few more minutes.

Michael tried again. "So – you remember me?"

"Yes."

That was it, nothing else. She was going to drive him insane. "Do you remember Maria?"

Liz stopped herself from rolling her eyes. "I remember everyone Michael. You, Maria, Max, Isabel and . . . Alex." The wave of sadness as she said his name was overwhelming. She could feel the tears forming in her eyes but she pushed them away. It was as if he had died last week. Of course to her, he had.

Michael had seen the tears and was quiet for a moment while she regained her composure.

"Sorry." She said.

Michael shook his head. "No need. I'm not quite the insensitive guy I use to be. Maria has me trained now."

Liz giggled a little. "I always knew if anyone could, it would be her."

Michael grinned.

"Where is she?" Liz wanted to see her.

Michael felt the anguish once again. "She's gone."

Liz started to panic. "She's not . . . dead!"

"No – nothing like that." Michael said trying to calm her down.

"Max?" She asked.

Michael nodded. "He threatened to . . ." He didn't know why but he couldn't tell Liz what Max had threatened. "I sent her away."

Liz felt Michael's pain. She put her hand on his arm, giving him the little comfort she could.

"She left yesterday morning?" Liz asked.

"Yeah – how did you . . . oh you're a psychic now." He quietly thought about this fact, then asked. "Did you see anything else?"

She saw the expectation in his eyes but knew what she had seen wouldn't give him the comfort he desired, so she ignored most of the vision, telling him the only part that might help. "No, not really – only that she will be fine."

Michael shrugged, happy to know that Maria would be ok but he had hoped for so much more.

Max heard the knock but ignored it. It wasn't as if he was sleeping or anything. How the hell could he after everything that had happened in the last twenty four hours.

He had spent the last hour sitting on his bed trying to think of some reason that Liz or anyone else would deceive him about her betrayal. He knew the only way Khivar could have gotten the information was through Liz (everyone else who knew about the granilith had been under his control during that time), but he had believed that there had been some kind of coercion involved, at least until he saw Nicholas' mind and knew differently. If it all had been deception, the deceiver had to be someone who could control Nicholas. Only Khivar could do that.

The problem with that line of thought was that Max couldn't think of any reason why Khivar would care how he felt about Liz. In fact, if Khivar did care – he should want Max and Liz together not apart. Max never cared about going back to Antar and fighting for his planet's freedom when he was in love with her. Now, ashamed of his priorities back then, he couldn't believe he would have been content to stay on Earth with her and live a normal human life, letting his planet rot.

The person on the other side of the door knocked again, getting more insistent and finally, yelling out. "Your majesty, it is important!"

Max didn't bother getting out of the bed. He waved his hand at the door to open it. "What is it now!" He asked the intruder.

"Sir, I'm sorry to bother you, but there is a situation in the granilith lab. That new scientist is causing problems."

Max rolled his eyes. "You can't handle it?"

"No sire. She will not abide by our commands. We could use our powers but you said not to damage her."

Max slowly got out of his bed. "Incompetent fools." He thought to himself. "I'll go deal with it."

"Yes sire." 

"Asim." Max called as his subject started to walk out the door.

"Yes."

'Where have you been?"

"Sire? – Oh I was in Roswell, cleaning up the mess the human girl caused."

Max nodded as he pulled his clothes back on. Asim walked through the door followed by Max just moments later.

A/N I am not a physicist. Just needed to share.

Part 14

Max walked up to the door of the lab to find two of his guards outside with a few of the scientists. "What the hell are you doing outside of the lab?"

One of the guards told him. "Dr. Baptiste threw us out."

Max, shook his head in disgust, he decided to deal with the guards and their incompetence later. He opened the door to the lab and peaked inside.

"No! You have to use a cross between the two theories!" Serena yelled at the scientists standing around listening to her.

Calming down she continued. "Look, assume the theories are correct. There are actually particles, gravitons, in a gravity wave." She did a wave with her hand. She knew that talking down to them probably wouldn't be appreciated but hell, where did theses scientists come from? "Now assume these gravitons have molecular structure and the alien society that made this machine can change molecular structure. Meaning an object or a person could be changed into a graviton. Then theoretically you could jump out of our 3 dimensional brane to the 4th dimension, travel on the 2 dimensional surface to the parallel 4th dimension and back into its brane."

"Excuse me Dr. – ah Serena," Serena stopped herself from rolling her eyes and nodded for man to continued, "what about supersymmetry."

Serena dismissed him, "Lagniappe.** Don't worry about it." **

**"Lagniappe?"**

**Vexed, Serena answered. "Gravy – extra!"**

**"What about other banes?" Someone else asked.**

**Serena couldn't believe the questions. She was now beyond annoyed. "My God, did Einstein have this problem when he was working out his theory of relativity?" She thought that comparing herself to Albert Einstein might be a bit presumptuous – but hell – there hadn't been a chance like this in almost a hundred years. **

**She looked up to find the alien king staring at her. "What the hell do you want?"** She snapped.

Max looked at her. Langley had made the right choice, this time. "What exactly are you doing?"

"Taking your lab over so these morons don't screw it up."

"I would like to speak to you outside for a moment, Dr. Baptiste." Max led her through the door and taking notice once again of the people outside he steered her down the hall. 

Serena knew she had pissed him off but she didn't care. When she was working – she was working. She didn't need a bunch of interruptions. "Serena – call me Serena – DO NOT call me Dr. Baptiste." Then under her breath she added, "I hate when people use doctor."

"Fine I will call you Serena if you stop calling me the pompous alien king."

Trying to appear innocent, Serena looked up at him questioningly. 

Max shrugged. "People talk."

"Fine – Maaaaax."

Max ignored her sarcasm. "So you have some ideas."

"What kind of stupid question was that?" She asked herself. "Yes I have ideas!" Why was he here? "I have ideas on how to best separate your scrotum from your body."

"Do we have a problem?"

"As a matter of fact we do. You have a bunch of incompetent scientists working for you that are not up to date on the latest theories AND you're here – bugging the shit out of me. This, at best will take months to figure out and each moment I have to spend with you, explaining it to your dumb ass is another moment I have to be here. Now leave me alone to work!"

"I don't think so! You will not speak to me in that manner!"

"You will not speak to me in that manner." Serena mimicked. "And you want me to stop calling you the pompous alien king?"

Max ignored her comment; it was obvious they were both tired and frustrated, but he was determined to get the upper hand. "So if they" he motioned towards the lab and the scientists inside "are incompetent then you won't need them anymore. Is that correct?"

Serena stopped for a moment, knowing exactly what he was threatening. If she didn't need them then he would get rid of them. She looked up into his eyes. "It's gone." She said. "You don't have it in you anymore. Something happened last night that made you lose your ability to kill – at least unnecessarily."

"I have never killed unnecessarily."

Serena scoffed.

Max knew he didn't have anything to hold over her head anymore but he wasn't going to give up. He had always hated not being in control. "Besides are you willing to take the chance that you're wrong?"

Serena checked his eyes once more. She read people pretty well. Not as well as Liz but then Serena didn't possess Liz's have supernatural talents. She was almost certain she was right. He wouldn't kill any of them. But she wouldn't risk it. She might have if it had just been her but she knew she couldn't risk others. "Fine you win. Just let go any scientist that can be mind melded. I don't need them. I'll use the others. If you do that, I'll be a good little girl and work_ for_ you."

"It's _mind warped_, and I can agree to that." He was actually relieved that he could let some of them go. "But I want daily reports."

Serena rolled her eyes. "Daily is a little much. How about weekly?"

He nodded, then turned back, walking towards the door to the lab. Max noticed the guards and scientists that she had kicked out still outside the door of the lab. He motioned towards them. "Why did you kick them out?"

"They scientists kept telling me I didn't know what I was talking about; your guards seemed to agree."

"OK – HOW did you kick them out?"

"I'm not as weak as I might look, plus I'm assuming that you told them they couldn't use their death rays on me."

Max almost smiled at that. "Not unless you try to leave the cave. So did you did kill my men in Ohio?" He had wanted to ask that questions since he first saw her. 

Serena shook her head furiously. "I never killed anyone. At least not in Ohio. I did take them down a notch, but I did not kill them – no matter how much they deserved it."

Inside the lab, Max gave the order that Serena was now in charge, then left with a rediscovered respect for humankind.

Interested in how Max had changed and why, Liz had been prying information out of Michael all morning. "So what about Kyle? Why does he hate Max?"

"Tracy. Did Kyle tell you about her?" When Michael saw Liz affirm that Kyle had he continued. "Well, when she got sick, Kyle went to Max and begged for Max to heal her – but he wouldn't."

"Oh." Liz understood Kyle's anger but there had to be a reason that Max hadn't done it – she knew it – he wouldn't – couldn't be that cruel."

"Does anyone still talk to Kyle?" 

"Everyone except Max went to Tracy's funeral and then Maria kept in touch with him up until a year or so ago when Max decided that she couldn't see him anymore."

"And Maria stood for that?"

"Well, at first she had a fit but eventually she backed down. Max started getting pretty scary then."

Max walked through the hallway trying not to let emotion and lack of sleep get the better of him, when he heard Michael talking to Liz. He stopped at the door of Serena's cage and listened.

"Tess killed Alex?" Liz asked. "You're sure?"

"Yep. We found out a couple of years after you left. Tess made a huge mistake. She pissed off Isabel and then let her guard down long enough for Is to dream walk her. After that Tess didn't last long. Max took her out to the desert one night and . . ."

Liz eyes widened. "He killed her?"

Michael half nodded, half shrugged. "That is the general consensus. After that, he put Zan up for adoption. Max has never talked about it since. At least not to me."

Max stormed into the room. "Maybe because you might go blabbing to traitors!"

Michael, worried Max was on another rampage, stood up, ready for battle.

Max put out his hand. "Don't worry I'm don't want to fight. I need to talk to Liz."

Michael didn't say anything. He looked over at Liz, making sure she would be alright if he left. When she signaled she would he walked out.

Max paced the room in silence as Liz looked on.

"Did you find my journal?" She finally asked after what seemed like an eternity.

Max nodded and continued to pace. He really didn't know what to say. He had told Michael to leave on a whim. 

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Max's stomach was at the fore front of his mind. It felt like someone had just punched hi in the gut. He turned to her, determined not to look into her eyes. "You should have told me."

"Maybe." Liz answered quietly.

"No! Not maybe. You should have told me!" He knew his voice was rising but he didn't care.

"And if I had what would you have done?"

"Found a way out!"

"How exactly? Oh I forgot – you're all powerful! Max, think about it, you as a man couldn't find another way out after fourteen years, what makes you think you, as a boy would have had a better chance?"

He considered what she was saying. More than likely she was correct, but he didn't want to believe it. It was as if some of his youthful optimism had seeped back into his thoughts. He pushed the optimism away, he was a realist now, determined to act like one.

Without another word, Max took her face into his hands and pulled it up to look into his eyes. He knew instantly why he had been avoiding her eyes. All coherent thought left him. He touched her hair, after all these years, she was still the most beautiful girl in the world. All he could think about was what was and what could have been.

He willed himself to concentrate, to make the connection so that he could heal her. He told himself he was doing it so he could find the answers he sought. He felt his heart pounding, he started to shake; he focused all the strength and energy that he had left on this mission.

Liz realized what Max was trying to do, but she knew almost instantly that it wasn't going to work. She looked up into his eyes and tried to open herself to him but it didn't help; still nothing happened.

She saw by his expression the exact moment when he realized his efforts where futile.

He gazed into her eyes for just a moment longer; then slowly dropped his hands in defeat and walked away.

Serena walked into the room, later that evening, babbling about her brilliance until she saw Liz. She knew something was wrong. "What's the matter Boo?" She asked as she sat down next to Liz.

Liz turned to Serena, with tears in her eyes and said, "I still love him."

Serena pulled Liz into a hug. "Oh Boo, it's ok."

Liz shook her head "He is an awful man now; you should hear the things Michael said about him. Everyone hates him and from what I understand he deserves it. I shouldn't love him anymore, it doesn't make sense."

Serena couldn't help but empathize. She had been there once upon a time. "Don't you dare think that love is supposed to be logical. The heart wants what the heart wants. There's not much you can do about it."

A/N: So just call that the LONGEST DAY. Max finally gets to sleep and maybe – just maybe – he won't be quite the ass when he wakes up. No really – sorry that took so long but there was a lot going on that you all needed to know (for the future) but I am glad (and you all probably are too) that this day is finally over. See you soon.

Part 15

"Isabel?" Max questioned Onuris about his sister.

"No sire, we haven't found her, although we believe she may have gone to Mexico."

Max nodded. "I need you to take some papers down to Michael." He had been avoiding the cages for weeks. Actually it wasn't the cages but Liz. Every time he saw her, his emotions would get the better of him. Guilt or anger would consume him. Sometimes they seemed to blend together so he couldn't tell exactly what he was feeling. The anger seemed to cause the guilt which seemed to cause more anger. It was an endless cycle causing him to become a little weaker each time – a feeling he could not contend with – so he stayed away.

As a result he had not seen Michael much either, but that hadn't mattered, each time he had encountered Michael some kind of dispute seemed to occur in a matter of minutes. He knew someday he would have to deal with that situation but he kept procrastinating, telling himself that he had more important things to deal with.

"Of course sire." Onuris bowed, knowing that he would have one of his underlings do it. He could not risk the human girl seeing him.

"Has Vilandra been found again?"

"Yes your majesty she has. She is in town of Banff in Alberta, Canada. She has been there for more then a week, she may leave soon."

"You will not lose her again!"

He shivered at the command, knowing that the queen had not been pleased when they found her last month only to lose her within a few days. "Yes ma'am. We have someone following her."

"That bit of information does not ease my mind!"

"Yes, your majesty." He bowed low.

Now allowed to walk over to the main house – with a guard of course, Serena sat in Max's office waiting to give him her report on her progress with the granilith.

Unshaven and in rumpled clothes, Max walked in with another man. Max nodded towards Serena as he grabbed something off of a shelf and handed it to the man.

"I'll get these to the general posthaste, sire." The man bowed low and walked out.

Max turned and looked at Serena.

"So you haven't been sleeping." She started.

Max nodded. He had learned over the past few weeks it was better not to argue with her. "Would you like something to eat?"

"No I ate with Liz and Michael earlier." She noticed the pain cross his face as she said it.

He forced a half-smile. "So – the granilith?"

"Of course, I have discovered that we need a key to make it work. This" Serena pulled out a drawing Michael had made. "is what I believe the key will look like."

Max took the picture. "What is it made out of?"

"I don't really know. It has to contain a small amount of fuel, other than that it could be made of anything."

"I will get someone to start looking for it. Anything else?"

"You know it!" Serena got up and walked over to Max, pulling out more of her notes. She went on to tell him everything she had discovered about the granilith this week.

"Your Excellency." Bowing, the servant came into Khivar's bed chamber.

"How dare you!" Khivar lifted his arm to strike the servant down.

The servant immediately prostrated himself on the floor before his master. "Please Your Excellency, the dowager queen herself, has sent you a message and I was ordered by your minister to deliver it to you immediately." Shaking in fear he lifted the note with his hand towards his emperor.

Khivar pushed the woman next to him away and got out of his bed. He walked over to the servant still sprawled before him. The servant was sobbing now, something about having a family. Khivar squatted so he could look into the servant's eyes. He placed his hand on the servant's head and watched as the blood started to run out of his eyes.

When it was done, he pried the note from the servant's dead hand.

Max was filling her shot glass again.

Serena downed it. "God I love tequila."

Max smirked.

Over the last few months, this had become a regular Saturday night ritual. They had developed a kind of dubious camaraderie. Serena would come in, tell him about her work, after which they would talk and drink. Well, Serena would drink, Max would just talk. As strange as it might seem to others they found they had a lot in common. Besides, Serena was the only person left that wasn't scared of Max.

Actually they rarely (if ever) talked about anything meaningful. Their conversations leaned more towards the frivolous. Max would enthrall her with adventures of being an alien, some true – some false and Serena would amuse Max with stories of parties and politics in New Orleans, most true. Both of them were very careful to leave out any details that would give too much insight to the other.

Serena knew instantly by Max's demeanor that this would not be a typical discussion night. "Damn." She thought. Her senses were already dulled by the tequila.

"So have you ever betrayed your best friend?" Max asked.

"Sure – hasn't everyone?" She smiled, trying to make light of the situation. She looked over at him and noticed that he was not smiling. His face was hard and determined. He wanted to talk about this and she wasn't going to sway him. "Are we talking about you or Liz?" He continued to stare. "Fine – yes I have." She downed another shot.

"So tell me."

Serena sighed. "I was angry so I kept something of great importance from someone I loved – my husband."

"What were you mad about?"

Serena rolled her eyes. "Everything and nothing. I don't know. He couldn't or wouldn't trust me, he lied to me about who he was, he hurt me and then he hurt someone I cared about."

"So what did you keep from him?"

Serena shook her head – determined not to tell him, but she felt the effects of the tequila and she had wanted to confess to someone for such a long time. "A child." She laughed. "You know what's so funny about it all. Through it all – I still loved him – hell" she added silently, "I still love him." She picked up her glass again. She hadn't talked about this in years.

Max thought about his son and how much he loved him. He hated Tess and blamed her for everything, even him having to give Zan away. He tried to imagine how he would feel if Tess had never even bothered to tell him about Zan.

He silently took a drink. What could he say? He knew she wasn't telling him the whole story and what she wasn't telling him was probably much worse.

She watched as he gulped down the tequila. "I thought you didn't drink?"

Max was still lost in his thoughts and didn't want to be interrogated about his alcohol consumption. "I want a drink – so I'm having one!"

"Hey – I'm not your momma. I'm not telling you not to. Have a freakin drink if you want one. I was just under the impression that your alien constitution couldn't handle it."

He knew he had snapped at her for no reason. "I guess I'm use to Isabel lecturing me about it."

Serena shrugged. She really didn't want to continue this discussion anymore. "Look I better go." She stood up.

Khivar opened the folded parchment.

A meeting is needed to discuss the future of our great world and the worlds that surround it. The place should be neutral. You may choose the time but it must be soon. Please send my servant with your answer.

He looked up from to note to the minister standing in front of him. "The servant I just killed – is that the queen's servant?"

"No, Your Excellency. I am no dolt. That servant was one of ours sent for your amusement."

Khivar smiled evilly. "Good, good." He sat at a table and scribbled something. "Please give this to the queen's servant."

Serena was walking back to the cave when Max caught up with her and her guard.

"Wait!" Max commanded.

The guard turned towards his king as soon as he heard him. "Yes sire." The guard bowed.

"I will make sure Dr. Baptiste gets put back into her cage." Max told the guard.

"Yes sire." The guard continued to stand at attention.

"You can go away now!" Max told the guard gruffly.

She laughed as she watched the guard scurry away. "You know you really are an ass."

Max didn't smile. She could tell that he wanted to talk some more. "I know."

Serena tripped. "Whoa – almost lost my balance on that one." She teased. "What did you say?"

Max stopped and turned towards her. "I'm not in the mood."

Exasperated, Serena asked, "What then?"

"How can you betray someone you love?"

Serena knew what he was asking. "Since I can't believe that Liz betrayed you, I can't give you the answer you want."

"It doesn't matter what you or anyone else believes, I know she did!" Max yelled in her face.

Serena backed away. "Fine – say she did – do you really believe she did it without a reason – a damn good reason!"

"There isn't a reason that can explain it away!" The anger was rising in Max. Maybe it was being so close to the cave entrance, knowing that Liz was in there – so close.

"You know what? You might be right but it is obviously tearing you up inside. You need to stop avoiding her and find out what that reason is. Maybe you should heal her and then she could just tell you."

"I already tried." Max said softly. "It didn't work."

Liz sat in her room writing in a notebook Michael had produced weeks before. She smiled as she remembered the day he had given it to her.

_Michael had walked into her new room with his hand behind his back, grinning from ear to ear. "How do you like your new cage?"_

_She rolled her eyes. "These rooms aren't so bad."_

"_I know but that is what Max calls them so we all eventually started using the term."_

_She shrugged. "What are you doing here? I thought you were helping Serena in the lab today."_

"_I am but I have a cage warming present for you." He pulled the notebook from behind his back and handed it to her. "I know it's not as nice as your journal was but Serena mentioned that it might help to write down your dreams as soon as you wake up from one so I got this for you. You can use it to write mean things about us all too."_

"_Oh please – I would never." She walked over to him to give him an awkward hug._

_Michael had pulled away. He had a goofy grin on his face. "I have to get back – you know how your friend gets – she is a slave driver."_

The notebook had never been used to write down her thoughts of the day – just what she endured in the night – but it didn't seem to be helping. Still she wrote - knowing that since Max could not heal her, this notebook might be her only hope to remember the years she lost.

"Your Majesty." Khivar bowed.

"Khivar." The queen offered her hand regally.

"So you wish to speak about Antar's future?"

"I do. I have a proposition for you. I would like to make an exchange."

Khivar diabolical laugh echoed through the corridors. "What could you possibly have left, my dear queen? Everything of value I have already taken."

One word was all she needed to utter. "Vilandra."

Khivar's smirk seemed to transfer to the queen. "You are willing to give me your daughter? What would I have to give you in return?"

"My grandchild."

"You know I cannot give him to you."

The queen stood, readying herself to leave. "The terms are non-negotiable." Her lady's in waiting scurried to her side as she turned to leave.

Khivar watched as the queen of his past started to glide away. "Madame!" He called after her.

She stopped and turned her head slightly but did not answer.

"Where shall the exchange take place?"

Part 16

"What the hell are you doing here?" Max barked at Michael as he entered the study.

Michael jumped back. He realized that he hadn't spent a lot of time (hell any time) with Max lately and when they did it wasn't exactly cordial but he hadn't expected Max to start an argument the moment he walked in. Michael decided not to take the bait; instead he dropped the destiny book on the desk in front of Max. "Serena can't read it." 

"Onuris?"

Michael smirked at the question. Max had spent the last few weeks holed up in his study; he hadn't even bothered to have meetings with his minions. Michael had had more contact with Onuris then Max – and Michael hated Onuris. "He can't read it either. He said that the writing is in some kind of ancient language known only to the royalty of Antar."

Max picked up the book. He had given it to Serena because he thought it might have answers to some of her questions about how the granilith works. "So what does she want now?"

"She has a friend who is a linguist working in Europe."

Disbelief crossed Max's eyes as he looked up at Michael from his chair. "And she wants someone to go get this friend?" "The girl has guts; you have to give her that." He thought to himself as he waited for Michael to answer.

Michael shook his head. "She was very adamant about him not being "abducted" – her word – not mine." He added, trying not to ignite a fight. "She wants to call him – have him come here."

Max almost had confidence in Serena but that didn't mean he was going to trust all humans, most of them still were untrustworthy in his mind. "I don't think so. I'm not letting her call someone and tell them where we are, that's suicide."

Michael was relieved. Ever since Max's minions had found the key to the granilith Michael had been concerned that one day Serena would tell them that she had figured it all out and they could use the damn machine to go home.

Max opened the book and stared at the words. He hadn't had a lot of time to study it over the years, not with enemies coming at him at all fronts so it was still gibberish to him. "Let her call him but I want someone watching her. Explain to her that she is to tell her friend someone will pick him up. We can bring him in without him knowing where he is going."

Michaels shook his head in defeat. Max's mission was still clearly set in his mind. He would find a way to get them all to Antar or die trying. "Have you found Iz yet?" It was Michael's last hope. Max would never leave earth without Isabel. 

Max shook his head. "No."

Relief swept over Michael's face. Not just because his feet were firmly planted on Earth if she was gone but because if he hadn't found Isabel then Max also hadn't found Maria and if Maria hadn't been found then she was safe – at least from Max.

Max watched as Michael's face eased. Knowing the fear Michael was feeling, he decided to do something completely out of character – he decided to ease Michael's mind. "I've ordered that the human's aren't to be harmed. They will be let go as long as Isabel comes."

Michael nodded his gratitude. He waited for another minute and then turned to leave.

"Michael wait. I want to ask you something."

He stopped and turned around. "What?"

"Did Liz do it?" 

Michael couldn't decide what startled him more, Max barking at him as soon as he came in or this. "I don't believe she did willingly." Michael stood there looking at Max for a long time. Finally convinced that Max wasn't going to say anything else he decided to add to his assessment. "She has nightmares, Max." 

Max nodded with understanding of what Michael was telling him.

Michael waited for a minute then turned to leave once again.

"I wouldn't have hurt her." Max said softly. 

Michael paused. He knew they weren't talking about Liz anymore but Maria. He wanted to say something but decided against it. He walked out the door, closing it behind him.   
There were nights when Max couldn't sleep, when he didn't want to be bothered by planets and aliens, when he just needed to be alone. 

Those nights he would walk outside like he use to when he was a kid. He would look at the stars and remember carefree days, when he wasn't the king, when he didn't have responsibilities, when he was in love with the purest, most beautiful girl in the world. Tonight was one of those nights.

The problem with tonight though was that he couldn't think about the carefree days of his past. Tonight the solitude was more of an affliction. He could only focus on the questions that tormented him.   
Aware of the guard behind her, Liz walked around the compound, thinking about her dreams. She had been so happy when Serena had told her that she had convinced Max to let them outside. Liz had missed this, walking under the night stars after waking up from a disturbing dream, and tonight the dream had been more disturbing than usual.

She sat down on a large rock and stared up into the sky. The dreams were wreaking havoc on her mind. She would wake terrified but no closer to any answers. She would write the dreams down, and then go over them dozens of times to no avail; she was still missing over three years of her life.

A shooting star blazed through the sky. Liz knew it wasn't really a star but she liked the fantasy. She watched the debris burned up and disappeared, wondering if that piece of rubble was part of a distant planet like Antar.

Lost in her thoughts, Liz was startled when she heard Max's voice.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked gruffly.

"Serena – she said it was alright with you and the guards let me out." She motioned with her eyes at the guard standing a few yards away.

He raised his head to see a guard watching. At least they weren't letting the humans out of their site. He nodded.

He remembered telling the guards that the humans could go outside after an argument with Serena. She had caught him while he was drinking and then proceeded to bitch about vitamin D, the need for fresh air and some other shit Max couldn't remember at that moment. He pledged to himself once again to never have another drink. He looked back at Liz, happy that she could not see the longing on his face. He turned to leave.

Liz stood up. "Max – wait."

Barley more than a whisper, he almost hadn't heard her call out. He felt his stomach grumble. Months of avoiding her ended in that moment. He knew he should just walk away but he didn't, an undeniable force wouldn't let him leave. "What?"

"I'm sorry." 

When he heard those words, guilt caused his gut to wrench as if someone had just punched him. "Why had she said them?" He thought.

He knew the guilt was just a prequel to the anger. Thinking again "She should have known better."

"What are you sorry for?" His voice seemed to rise with every word. "For lying, for leaving without a word, or for betraying me!"

"All of it – some of it – I don't know." Liz signed in exasperation. "I'm sorry for lying to you."

"And the rest!"

She looked up with wide eyes. "I honestly don't know Max."

He shut down. "It's done. It is too late for apologies." The agitation in his voice was gone and replaced by an eerie tranquility.

She could tell when she was being dismissed. She would not have it. He might have read the journal but he didn't get it. She was desperate for him to understand. "I did lie about sleeping with Kyle but I didn't do it to hurt you! I never wanted to hurt you. Please believe me. I loved you." She looked down and added silently, "I still do."

For just an infinitesimal space of time, Max was moved by her quiet profession of love, his wall seemed to start to crumble but just as quickly it was refortified. "That is your misfortune then."

"Max please, "she pleaded "I thought I was doing the right thing! I did it for Earth, for Isabel, for Michael, and even for Tess." She heard her voice strain as she willed him to understand. I did it for . . ."

He stopped her. He knew what she was going to say and he didn't want to hear her try to explain it away. "Don't even try to blame that hell on me!" Enraged, he started to tell her all the things he had wanted to tell her from the beginning. "Did you do it for Alex! You realize what happened because of your lie! ALEX DIED!"

He waited for that statement to sink in – then continued. "It was Tess but YOU blamed us! We didn't find out for years that it was Tess! And now I have a son that I can never see! Hell I even killed his mother! NONE OF IT would have happened if you had just told me the truth, if you would have just believed in me!"

The anger wasn't subsiding – he kept going – he couldn't stop. He wanted to hurt her as much as she had hurt him. "You didn't do it for me and don't pretend you did! You did it for HIM – this future version of me. You trusted HIM more then you trusted ME!"

Liz hated him in that moment. Although she knew part of her hate was irrational, she couldn't help it. She hated him for coming back through time, for asking her to break his heart, for trusting only her to accomplish his dreadful goals and for blaming her for it all. But most of all she hated him for not believing in her now, for not loving her anymore. Liz felt the tears coming. She tried to push them back but couldn't.

He stopped when he saw that she was crying. He had accomplished his objective. He realized at that moment that he was feeling something more then the reactionary anger he had felt since he had first lain eyes on her again. He felt pain. Pain from betrayal or from hurting her – he didn't know which. All he knew was that there was feeling there – a precious kind of pain.

He looked at her and could see that she was hurt – she did bring this on herself – she deserved to feel guilty but her tears were so heartbreaking: her lips were so full and soft. "Fuck it!" He couldn't resist any longer. He knew that he had to heal the pain. He gabbed her, pulled her to him and kissed her. He needed to kiss her. He needed to be one with her. He needed the connection that he once shared with her. He needed to find her and his humanity. She resisted at first but he held on. He held on to her as if both their lives depended on it. He was determined to find the connection, to find the answers and to find himself. He could feel her as she stopped her resistance, as she put her arms around him and kissed him back. She kissed him with the same urgency, as if she was also looking for the connection, but it didn't come. He stopped and looked at her, tears brimming in both their eyes; they both felt then that the connection was lost forever. They lost everything these years they had been apart, she lost her memory, he lost his humanity, they had lost their hope, their reason for living, but they had lost something much more important, the ability to heal each other and with it their destiny. Would they ever be able to find it again? 

Pushing away the tears, he turned and walked away. He wasn't going to cry, not over her, not ever again.   
"Speak up!" The queen ordered. "What happened between my son and the human girl?"

The man literally shook as he answered. "They spoke and – and – he kissed her."

"And then . . ." the queen prompted. 

"Zan walked away from her."

The queen smiled slyly. "Good."

Confused but soothed by her demeanor he relaxed.

The queen did not abide by this. "Do not believe you will be spared because I am pleased about these events. I would not have to worry about the human girl at all if you had done your job correctly."

"Yes, Your Majesty." He bowed low trying to show his contrition.

"Soon, Vilandra's fate will be known to Zan. When this happens you are to stay on Earth to keep the human girl from harm."

He bowed again, trying not to show his disappointment of not returning home. "As you wish, my queen."

Part 17

"HOLY SHIT MAX! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!" Michael yelled at the top of his lungs knowing that was the only way Max might hear him over the explosions.

He didn't look at Michael or even acknowledge his presence. He raised his hand again towards another boulder.

The following explosion rang in Michael's ear. He waited for the residual sound to dissipate. "You know those explosions brought some kids wanting to see what the hell was going on! Don't worry though – I killed them for you!"

Max wasn't amused by Michaels little joke but he didn't say anything he just raised his hand once more, causing another explosion.

Michael waited again then walked into Max's path of destruction.

Finally Max spoke. "Get the hell out of my way Michael."

Michael didn't move, although he was mentally prepared to deflect another blast if he needed to. "What the hell is your problem!"

Max dropped his hand and shrugged. "Nothing – nothing at all."

"To hell it's nothing! You're going to have the FBI, the CIA, the National Guard – hell you name it – they will come running from all the noise and destruction you're causing!"

Max sat down on a nearby rock. "It doesn't matter."

"IT DOESN'T MATTER!" Michael was angry and a little dumfounded. "MAYBE NOT TO YOU; BUT WHAT ABOUT TO ME? I DON'T WANT TO END UP BEING STUDIED BY SOME GOVERNMENT AGENT!"

Max looked down at the ground. "Then leave."

Michael couldn't believe what he was hearing; Max was full of surprises tonight. "Leave? What exactly do you mean leave?"

Max picked up a rock sitting next to him and threw it. "I mean get out of here Michael. I won't stop you or have you followed – just go. You were right – all of you deserve to be happy. Go find Maria. Marry her – it's about time anyway – go have the life you've always wanted with her." Of course he thought but didn't add "At least what's left of it."

"What about Liz and Serena – can I take them with me?"

Max nodded. "Sure – take everyone." He said in all seriousness.

Michael had wished for this moment for a long time but now that it had happened he wasn't completely happy about it. He could see it in Max's face, he wasn't letting him go because he truly believed it was best – Max was letting him go because he had given up.

Isabel opened the door to the hotel room her and Jesse had lived in for the past few weeks to find two men holding a gun to Jesse's head.

Her fear caused her to hesitate for just a moment before lifting her hand to blast them into the next dimension. "I'm warning you – let him go!" She ordered.

One of the men put his hand up bringing a shield around the three of them and giving away their non human status. "I am sorry your highness but we have orders."

Isabel dropped her hand. Were these Max's men? "I'll kill him!" She said to herself. "What the hell do you want!" She asked them.

The man with the gun answered. "You are to come with us. If you come peaceably we will not hurt this human. If you do not we will have to kill him."

"Don't do it." Jesse warned.

She knew he didn't want her going back to Max – not after all he had done but she couldn't see another way out. She signaled her agreement to the men.

One man continued to hold a gun on Jesse while the other walked over to Isabel, grabbed her by the arm, and started to lead her towards the field behind the hotel.

She pulled out of the man's grasp and took a step towards Jesse. She wanted to kiss him one last time.

The man grabbed her arm again. "He will shoot if you get any closer."

She turned towards Jesse. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." She smiled slightly through her watered eyes.

Already feeling the guilt of being used as a pawn, Jesse felt the tears flowing down his face. "Don't go." He pleaded. "It's not worth it."

She ignored him and smiled at him one last time. "I love you Jesse."

"I love you." He replied.

He watched as she was led to the field behind the hotel. He thought there must be a car or something there until he saw what looked like a huge vortex form in the field. He looked on in awe while his wife and the man disappeared.

"Where the hell did she go! WHERE DID HE TAKE HER!" He demanded of the man still holding a gun to his head. Jesse dropped his head at the realization. "You aren't Max's men – are you?"

The man didn't answer. He just lowered his gun and walked away.

"I'm not leaving Michael. That's final."

Liz was driving him mad. They had been arguing about this for almost an hour. He had warned her about other aliens and the FBI but she continued to be obstinate. "You have to leave. This might be your only chance. You're not safe here." He said once again.

"I'll be fine."

"Look Liz." He decided to focus more on Max's instability. "I don't know what happened between the two of you tonight but Max isn't right. Hell – he's freakin nuts! He has questions about your part in betraying him but he might resolve them – and not to your benefit. He might not want to kill you today but next week – who knows."

"I know the risks. I can't leave him. He still needs me and I still love him."

Michael wasn't surprised by the confession, she had always been there for Max, always loved Max, but he was surprised by her foolishness. Liz always seemed to know when it was time to give up – for her own safety as well as others – maybe her judgment was clouded because it was Max who she really needed to be afraid of.

Michael decided that maybe it was time to be brutal. "He doesn't love you, Liz." He wasn't sure but something told him he was lying. "He hasn't for a long time – he won't protect you and your being here won't help him! It just might get you killed."

She knew he wasn't trying to be mean, he was just trying to protect her but the words still hurt. She looked him in the eyes. "You might be right." She said sadly. "But I AM staying."

After being told by Michael that she could leave, Serena walked around her room, trying to decide what to do. Liz was staying and Serena understood her reasons but it was Liz's choice to stay now – she surely didn't need Serena anymore. But Serena had a feeling that her job there wasn't done.

She looked at the small collection of items she had acquired during the last few months. She was so close to getting the granilith to work. She knew it and she wanted to see it through but home called her. She missed New Orleans – she missed her freedom – hell – she missed sex. Serena giggled at her last thought.

Serena continued to weigh her options carefully until finally making her decision – she was staying. She opened her door and walked out into the hall to find Michael walking towards the other cages. "Michael STOP!"

Michael turned around and walked towards Serena. "What?" Just then his cell phone rang.

"Michael here." He answered. He listened to the other side with a confused look on his face. Then handed the phone to Serena, "It's - - - for - - - you."

Serena grabbed the phone – just as confused. "Hello?"

Michael watched as Serena talked to the woman on the phone. "What the hell was going on?" He asked himself. "How the hell did someone know to call his cell at that moment to talk to Serena?"

"Thank the Great Goddess, you are alright." Serena's confusion changed to understanding, as she heard Cassandra's voice on the other end.

"I'm fine." Then Serena's demeanor changed to exasperation. She knew Cassandra wouldn't be calling like this if she didn't have something important (and probably bothersome) to tell Serena. "What is it now?"

"What you can do is done. You must leave." Cassandra said succinctly.

"I can't. I'm still needed here. Liz still needs me."

"The fact that you called her Liz proves that you are no longer needed Sera." Cassandra became more impassioned. "You must leave. I no longer see you with them. Their destiny is unclear and your safety is no longer assured."

Serena rolled her eyes the responded adamantly. "I'm staying!"

Cassandra was silent as if she were thinking on what to do. Finally she answered. "If you stay I will have no choice but to tell . . ."

Serena cut her off. "DON'T!"

"I must, Sera, it is for your own good. You cannot be lost."

Serena knew that chances were she couldn't change Cassandra's mind but she decided to try. "Look – I know you won't like this but someone is coming. I won't be alone."

"I know. And you are correct, I do not like it. You know I do not trust him."

"I know – but I do and so does my loving ex that you DO trust so completely - so please leave it alone."

"If you get their machine working will you promise to leave?"

Serena knew she had just received a reprieve. "Yes – I will – I promise."

Cassandra sighed. "Ask the man for his phone. He will give it to you. I will pray to the Great Goddess for your safety." With that she was gone.

Serena closed the phone.

"Who was that?" Michael asked.

Serena looked up at Michael – she had forgotten that he was there. "No one."

"How the hell did no one get my phone number?"

Serena shrugged – trying to be dismissive.

Michael wasn't dissuaded so easily. "Serena." He demanded.

"Oh – fine – it was a friend of mine. She just knows things – kind of like Liz but – she's much better at it. She is worried because I am choosing to stay."

"You are not staying!" Michael said – his voice rising.

"I am." Serena turned and walked back into her room mumbling, "Why does everyone think they need to tell me how to run my life?"

Michael didn't know what to say. He had had this conversation with Liz earlier. Liz had dismissed the idea of leaving completely. No matter what he had said he had been unable to change her mind, and he had learned over the last few months that Serena was just as hardheaded (if not more so) than Liz. What could he do? He felt guilty leaving them – he even entertained the idea of staying but he knew he couldn't. He would come back as soon as he could but for now he had to find Maria and make sure she was alright.

Serena started again. "Look all this isn't important. I understand that you need to go but you can't tell anyone they can leave. If you do – Max will be dead in a week. The others are bound to tell anyone who will listen where they have been. I realize that most people will just think they are crazy but even if one believes them – well it won't be pretty. Let me get the granilith working. Maybe then Max and the other aliens will have a chance."

Michael didn't answer but Serena knew he had agreed. "Michael – one more thing."

"Yeah."

"I need your phone."

The queen sat in her private residence writing a letter to an old friend who had been exiled to a different part of their world when one of her ladies walked in.

"Mistress." The lady spoke softly.

The queen lifted her head and looked at her faithful servant. "Yes dear."

"There is a man here to see you. He says it is extremely urgent."

"Let him in."

The lady nodded elegantly and walked out of the room only to return with the man.

"You may go." The queen said towards the lady.

The lady curtsied and scurried from the room.

The queen paid no attention to the man for a few minutes, then without lifting her head she asked, "Is it done?"

"Yes, your majesty. Your daughter is safely home."

The queen sat stoically. "She is not to know where she is."

"Of course not." The man agreed.

"Good." The queen picked up another piece of parchment and wrote something on it, then sealed it and handed it to the man. "This is to be delivered to Khivar." She said with disdain.

"Yes, your highness." The man bowed low and left the room.

PART 18

Exhausted, after a sleepless night and a long flight, Jesse walked through the terminal. He reached down into his pocket, checking, once again, that the small slip of paper was still there. He had to find the man whose name was written on it. He was the only one who might know where Maria was – and Maria was the only person that Jesse knew of that could take him to Max.

Once again he regretted allowing Maria to separate from Isabel and him. Just a few weeks after their escape and at Maria's insistence, they had left her in a small town in Montana where she had explained that she would catch a bus and go stay with a friend – Billy Darden – in New York City.

Both Isabel and Jesse had been leery about it, thinking it was best to stay together, but Maria was, as always, very persuasive. Besides, Isabel had decided that making her stay with them when she didn't want to was what Max would do – what they were trying to escape.

Now, after months without contact, Jesse was desperate to find her so she could lead him to Max. He had known as soon as the vortex (or whatever the hell it was) had closed that Max hadn't been the one to take his wife and if Max wasn't behind it, then Jesse was certain that someone or something – not of this world – was. He also knew without alien powers on his side there was no possibility that he would ever get his wife back.

He still couldn't believe that the whole reason for their leaving was now their only hope. For years, Isabel had warned him to stay away from Max for his own safety. But now Jesse was choosing to go into the lion's den – to seek out Max Evans and beg for his help – it was Jesse's only chance of getting her back and he didn't care if his brother-in-law tried to kill him in the process. 

Seeing the phones to his right, he turned into one of the booths. He picked up the white pages and started flipping through.

Max woke up to the morning sun shining in his eyes. Disoriented, he squinted to survey his surroundings. He couldn't remember how but he had obviously fallen asleep on the desert floor the night before. He stood up realizing that he must have walked quite some distance after leaving Michael, because he had to be two or three miles from the compound. 

He was barely into the first mile of his long trek when the memories of the night before started to plague him. The argument with Liz had been brutal and even necessary but it still bothered him.

He remembered the blame he placed on her for Alex's death, but he knew, even then, that the blame wasn't hers. She had been too young and too much in love to foresee the ramifications of what "could" happen because of her deceptions. Blaming her was as naive as blaming himself when he couldn't heal Alex.

He actually started to place the blame on himself for it all, but stopped, the man who came from the future was no more him than Ava was Tess. It might have been who he could have become – but it wasn't him now, nor had it ever been. He was saddened by the realization that what he had actually turned into was someone much worse. He did blame himself for how he had treated the ones he loved these last few years - but he would make that right.

By now, Michael surely had left and taken everyone with him. Max could distract Khivar and any other enemies long enough for them to disappear and then, when the time was right, Max had decided he would give himself up; he would martyr himself to keep the family safe and the ones he loved would never have to know. That was the only just end for him after all the years of misery he had caused.

His thoughts kept going back to Liz and the kiss. Emotionally he knew he was a mess over that kiss and that it would haunt him for the rest of his short life. On one hand he regretted the kiss more than anything he had ever done but on the other he couldn't get past the disappointment of not being able to connect with her anymore.

The regret came from a need to push her away so she would be safe. He had not fully reconciled her betrayal with his emotions – his certainty was still present over what he knew she had done but he also had finally admitted to himself that she had to have had a damn good reason.

The feelings that he had thought were lost, but actually just buried deep inside of him, were coming to the surface. He knew and probably had always known that he wanted her, needed her and hell, he even loved her but that wasn't enough. Too much had happened that didn't have thing to do with Liz and now he had to fix it.

He was thankful that she was gone, that he would never have a chance to tell her how he really felt. That he would die with her believing that all had been lost between them long ago.

Liz spent the day preparing for the fight she would have with Max. He wasn't going to like her staying and that would eventually bring him to her and she had to be ready.

Michael's comment about Max not loving her had hurt but she had gotten past it. She understood why Michael had said it; that Michael had only been concerned for her safety and now she even realized that he hadn't believed what he had told her anymore than she believed it.

Max loved her – and even if he didn't know it – she did. Not from a supernatural vision or a flash but from her heart. She knew that no matter what he said or did or believed he was capable of doing, he still loved her.

Liz wasn't ignorant about these feelings. She understood that they hadn't connected, understood that she could, and Max probably would use that fact as a reason to give up. But she also knew something else, that even if they had not connected on some alien level, they had connected. Their hearts had connected on human level. She had seen it in his eyes and felt it in her soul. The connection was not broken – it couldn't be – it could be fixed – there was an answer. She knew it and she was determined to find the resolution.

Jesse knocked on the door to Billy Darden's apartment. He hadn't told Maria what was going on when he called, he had decided that was best told in person. 

A man answered the door. "Hi – you must be Jesse."

Jesse smiled politely and nodded. "And you're Mr. Darden."

"Actually – no – that would be my dad. Billy or Bill is fine." Billy motioned for Jesse to come into the apartment. "Well, come on in. Maria is in the bathroom – you know how women are?" He rolled his eyes jokingly.

Jesse assessed Billy. Despite his scruffy appearance he seemed to be an alright guy. Jesse smiled. "Yeah I know what you mean." But then the smile disappeared as he added, "Isabel never allows me any time in the bathroom."

"Have a seat." Billy motioned towards the second hand couch. "I'll take your bag into the other room."

When Billy went to grab Jesse's bag, Jesse shook his head. "No, that's ok. I can't stay long." He said while pulling his bag out of Billy's reach.

Billy shrugged. "Suit yourself. Hey – do you want a drink? We have beer, Pepsi and water."

"Pepsi, please." Jesse had been dying of thirst so water might have been better but he needed the caffeine to keep him going.

"Sure thing."

As Billy disappeared around corner Jesse heard Maria's voice coming from down the hall. "Billy, darling, are they here? I thought I heard Jesse."

Jesse turned just in time to see a very happy but also very pregnant Maria Deluca emerge from the hallway.

Showered and changed, Max leaned back on his bed to rest for a while. He needed it after his long hike through the desert.

He thought about his next move. Both saddened and relieved that he was now alone in this world. It gave him a feeling of freedom. Whatever happened now – good or bad – would only affect him. He picked up the picture Langley had given him months ago of Serena and Liz from his nightstand. He studied it sadly then reached for a box that was under his bed, opened it and added the picture to its contents. It was time to rid himself of all reminders of her.

He stared at the wall for the longest time, lost in his thoughts, until a knock interrupted him.

He got up and opened the door to find Langley.

"Your Majesty."

Max opened the door wider so Langley could enter his room, then sat back down on his bed. "What?"

"Sir, Dr. Baptiste is requesting an audience with you."

"Dr. Baptiste is gone." Max answered slowly, knowing he was not going to like what Langley had to say next.

"No sir, she is not."

Max jumped up and ran out of the room, leaving Langley only to watch.

Max stomped into Serena's room to find her poring over some papers as usual. He tried to keep calm. "Didn't Michael tell you that you could leave?"

Serena nodded. "Yeah – he said something to that effect."

Annoyed at her nonchalant attitude, Max's voice started rising. "Why the hell not!"

Serena shrugged and pointed to the work in front of her. "I'm gonna figure this out first. I figure that if you are going to have a chance in hell of surviving you need me to – plus – Liz needs me."

Max got pissed. What did she mean Liz needed her? Was Liz still here too? Liz couldn't here, he wouldn't allow it. She would get herself killed if she stayed. "You're out of your mind. You're not staying and neither is Liz."

"Yeah – uh huh – sure." she answered rather sarcastically. "You see, that's the problem Max – Liz doesn't want to go. I at least listened to Michael when he came to tell me that we could leave – but from what I understand Liz wouldn't hear of it. She walked out of the room. Like it or not, she loves you and she will stay with you until you get yourself killed. I'm staying to make sure I don't lose Liz in the process."

Max hadn't planned for this. He had believed they would all run as soon as he agreed to let them go. He didn't ask why, he didn't argue, he just walked out of her room, heading towards Liz's.

The dowager queen sat in her private quarters looking out a window at the moons of her beloved home planet. She tried not to think of the treachery she had set into motion, or the wrath her children would eventually aim towards her. She hated that they might not understand, and more than likely would never forgive her actions.

She was the queen – her planet would always come before anything else. It was her duty – her destiny. But she still was a mother – one who loved her children. To know that your children hated you, or would, was a pain second only to losing one.

Lost in her thoughts she hadn't heard her Lady come to her. "Madame."

The queen still did not answer.

"Your Majesty." The younger woman said a bit louder.

The queen was jolted from her thoughts. "Yes?"

"The man that was here to see you yesterday is requesting an audience once again."

The queen nodded, her emotions torn. She knew what he was coming to tell her. "Let him in on your way out."

The lady curtsied and walked through the door. Seconds later the man came in and bowed low. "Your Majesty." The man started. "The exchange has been made. It was successful."

"And the boy?"

"Safely in the castle."

The queen nodded and walked over to an old desk. She opened a drawer and pulled out a small package. "Here is your payment." She said as she handed the man the item.

The man bowed. "Thank you." Then walked out the door, leaving the queen to think once again on what she had done.

Max stormed into the room Liz had been living in over the past few months. "YOU ARE LEAVING!"

Startled, she jumped but quickly recovered; collecting her nerve, knowing this is what she had spent the day preparing for. Calmly she answered his command. "No. I'm not."

"The hell your not! You ARE leaving!"

"No." That was all she could seem to say."

"You can leave on your own or I will get some of my men to help you leave."

"You can't." She managed to squeak out – knowing it wasn't the greatest of rebuttals.

"I can and I will. You might as well get anything you want to take with you together – you will not be here in the morning." He stopped there worried about what he might say if he continued. She had believed him – she would leave – she would be safe and that was all that mattered. He turned around and stomped out the door.

As he marched down the hall he realized that he should have called for a guard immediately to make good on his threat, but he didn't, instead he walked out of the cave into the night air. He hated to admit it to himself but even now, after everything, he still wanted her near him and he didn't know if he would go through with it if he had to watch as they took her away. He would have Onuris deal with her after he was away from the cave. She wasn't in any immediate danger.

She watched, stunned, for a few minutes as he disappeared. "How was it so easy for him to deny everything they were to each other?" She asked herself.

Eventually she regained her senses, gathered her wits and ran out the door behind him. She wasn't going to let this be the end. It couldn't be.

She couldn't see him, she had given him too much of a head start. She ran through the halls and climbed out of the cave, where she saw him in the distance. She willed her legs to move faster, following him as he walked through the desert. If she could have thought at that moment she might have laughed at the irony of chasing him.

He heard her as she approached but didn't stop. He kept walking – faster. "Maybe she would get tired and go back." He thought. But she didn't – she just kept coming. Finally he stopped and turned around, letting her catch up with him. He prepared himself for battle but knew deep down he couldn't win – not this war.

"Max – please – talk to me." She pleaded.

"Let me be!" His hard determination not to let her effect him, was written on his face.

She whispered. "I can't. I still love you."

"You can't still love me. Do you know who I've been – what I've done? You can't love me – no one can!" He knew as soon as the words were out of his mouth that he had said too much – he had told her that he felt guilt and, in that, given her a reason to hold on.

She looked down. She knew what he had done. After hours of interrogation, Michael had finally told her everything. It might even bother her but she just didn't care. She loved him – that was all that mattered. "But I do."

His strength was dwindling, but he tried to stand firm. He had to be cruel, to spell it out for her. He had to make her walk away from him forever. He looked directly into her eyes and answered forcefully. "I don't love you." 

Her eyes were filled with puddles. Seeing that all she needed for the tears to flow freely was to blink, he looked away. He couldn't stay strong if she started to cry, last night was proof of that.

She could tell that he was lying but she couldn't stand that he was lying about this. She understood why he had shut himself off from everyone. Yes, he wanted to protect himself from the pain but he also wanted to protect others from his anger, an anger he needed to survive.

His duty had caused him to shut down, to shot off. Trying to save a planet was too hard for any one person, human or alien. He stood stoically while she reached up and touched his face forcing him to look back into her eyes. "Max, I love you. Please let me in." She pleaded.

He tried to turn his face away from her. Her touch, added with her words of unconditional love, caused Max's resolve weakened. He had to get away from her. This morning he had been so determined to quit – to put as much distance as possible between him and the ones he loved – to live his life how he decided until the day that he knew would come when Khivar killed him and freed his family from their cosmic burden.

Now, that resolution was fading, because this woman – Liz Parker – the only one who he had loved through it all – and who had unbelievably loved him back. He pulled together, what he thought to be, his last bit of strength to summon an answer for her. "There's nothing for you – I'm dead."

She took one step, moving closer to him. She put her head next to his heart. She could hear the thumping telling her that he was still alive. She had to get through; she had to help him find the truth again, she had to convince him that he was still human. 

He willed his arms to stay at his sides, not to wrap themselves around her. He didn't seem to have the control he wanted or needed. He was already a dead man – he knew that, but if he gave in that would be the death of her.

The thought of her death brought about the surge of energy he needed to push her away and motion to a nearby guard to come and take her away. He couldn't do this – not now – not ever. She might be the love of his life, but he would never again let her know. He would never again risk her life for his cause.

As the guard came up to take her, he turned and walked away from her, thinking it was done, it was forever.

It wasn't forever though. The vows he made to himself were forgotten moments later when he heard the scream from inside the cave.

Part 19

Jesse hugged Maria when she attacked him, trying hard to wipe, what he knew to be, the stunned expression from his face.

Maria grinned and made light of her expanding belly. "I know, I've put on some weight."

Jesse smiled a little. "Does Michael know?" Then as Billy came into view from the other room he added, "It is Michael's?"

Maria, annoyed with the question, thought about being bitchy but decided against it. She was too happy to see her friend and eventually they would all find out anyway. She was positive there would be no way to keep the child's origins from any of the aliens. "No he doesn't know. Best I can figure it happened the night before I left." She took note of Jesse's disapproving look then added. "I am going to tell him."

Jesse nodded his head and looked over at Billy.

Billy took that as he cue to leave. "Hey guys, I'm going to go get something to eat so you guys can catch up. Would you all like anything?"

Maria smiled at Billy thanking him silently. "No - nothing for me. Jesse?"

"No thanks." Jesse answered.

Billy stepped into some shoes. "Ok, well be back in an hour or so." He said before walking out the door.

Maria waited until the door closed before speaking again. "I wasn't going to keep it from him forever. I know I have to tell him . . . in case my baby isn't completely human but I keep putting it off, thinking that soon Michael will show up and tell me all the B.S. is over."

Jesse's face saddened. "I don't think any of this will be over anytime soon."

Maria didn't like the tone of his voice. She realized then that she had been so concerned about explaining herself that she hadn't even noticed that Isabel was not in the room with them. "What's wrong Jesse? . . . Where . . . is . . . Isabel?"

Jesse's eyes started to tear at the question. "She's gone. They . . . took her." He choked out.

After staying awake for well over twenty four hours, Serena was almost asleep when she heard the bloodcurdling scream from the hall.

"What the hell?" She jumped out of her bed and ran out her door, stopping only to pick up a robe lying near her bed.

As soon as she entered the hallway, she saw Liz falling to the floor as a man ran from the area. She quickly committed what she could of the man into memory, but did not take the time to process the information. She was too worried about Liz.

Serena yelled, "Liz!" and ran over to her friend who now lay on the floor. She stooped down and touched Liz's face, taking notice of how hot it was. She called out, "Liz. Liz." Trying to get a response. When there was none, Serena's medical training kicked in. She immediately felt for a pulse and was relieved when she found one, though worried that it was so rapid. She pulled open her eyelids to look at her eyes. Her pupils were fixed and unresponsive. "How could this be?"

Max ran into the cave, to find Liz on the ground with Serena hovering over her looking concerned and confused. He felt the dread consume his body at the realization that something was very wrong with Liz. Instinct took over as Max ran to her side and pushed Serena away. He knelt down and brought his hands to her head.

He tried not to think of unsuccessful tries before but doubt still entered his mind. He blocked it thinking that this was different. The other times had failed because he wanted answers or just wanted Liz, now he had to connect with her, to save her. "Liz." He said loudly, trying to get her to look at him, but realized that she could not respond. He closed his eyes and willed himself to get inside. "Please, just let me get in." He pleaded to himself or to Liz or maybe even to the god he couldn't believe in.

The connection still did not come, causing his fear and doubt to come back into play as he remembered the night years ago when he snuck into a hospital room to heal the love of Kyle's life. He had no doubts that night, he had no reason too. He had healed cancer victims before, there had been no reason to question his abilities, but as he started to connect with her cancer ridden body, he saw what he was seeing now - nothing. The connection never did come; the cancer had eaten her completely. There wasn't enough left to heal. That was the first time he failed to heal someone who was still alive, and it was the last time he tried.

He pushed the thoughts of Tracy from his mind and focused all his energy, all his love towards the task. Begging whoever controlled this universe to let him have this one last favor. But, it didn't work; instead all he found was a deep dark abyss. He realized then that in all the years he had lived without her this was the first time he felt he had completely lost her.

He strengthened his resolve, he wouldn't allow it. Good or bad, he had controlled his destiny for this long - there was no way he would let destiny control him now. He went back; he had to keep trying to heal her. He was mesmerized by his need. His whole being focused on saving the woman he loved.

"Max. Max!" Serena could see by the look on his face that nothing was happening and Liz needed medical attention. These first few moments were critical if a miraculous healing was not going to occur. "MAX!" She yelled at the top of his lungs and pulled him away from the unconscious Liz.

Max swung back off of Liz and fell on his back to the ground. His eyes started to water a bit as he realized that his powers would not be enough, he could do nothing to save her.

He sat up and watched Serena as she carefully examined Liz's head. He envied her. Being so calm, knowing what to do. She knew what would work and what wouldn't and if her knowledge could not save Liz then she knew she had done all she could.

It was so different for him. He knew what to do but he couldn't do it. Not because he was incapable but because he had shut himself off, he had chosen to become the person he was and that choice may kill the love of his life. He put his head between his knees; he couldn't bear to watch anymore.

Certain that Liz had not suffered head trauma from the fall Serena called for a guard. "I need her moved to a bed!"

The guard looked towards Max for approval. "Anything she needs!" Max barked out.

Max watched as Serena directed some of the guards on exactly how to move Liz into the room closest to their position.

Serena turned towards Max who was still sulking. "I need a thermometer, some ice, a spray bottle and a couple of fans!"

Max stared straight ahead, not processing Serena's words.

Serena didn't have time and wasn't in the mood for Max's personal issues. She grabbed him by the shoulders. "MAX - FOCUS!"

Max snapped out of his stupor an instant later and started giving orders to others around him on what was needed. Then he turned back to Serena. "We don't have a thermometer."

Serena threw up her hands. "Of course not. Why would you all have something like a thermometer when the leader can just wave his hand and cure all ills?" She said sarcastically, then disappeared into the room where they had just taken Liz.

Max stood outside of the door until the guard came with the spray bottle and a bucket of ice. He snatched them away and ran inside.

Billy entered the apartment, purposely making enough noise for Maria and her guest to realize they were no longer alone. It had been unnecessary though. He found an empty apartment and a note from Maria, thanking him for letting her stay and explaining that it was time for her to go home.

Max entered the room to find Serena pulling off all of Liz's clothing. 

"Leave everything and GET OUT!" She ordered.

"I'm not leaving!" Max answered firmly, determined not to leave Liz's side.

Serena swung around looking as if she were going to smack Max in the face. "YOU WILL LEAVE. I don't know much about Liz and your relationship but I know there are problems and you are going to respect her privacy."

Max saw the look on Serena's face and knew this was not the time to argue – he started to walk out. "I'll be right outside."

Serena stopped him. "If you trust her, go get that alien girl I met when I first got here."

"Her name is Ava and yeah I trust her."

Standing at the airport in Albuquerque, it finally dawned on Michael how rash his actions had been. All he had thought about since Max told him to leave was being with Maria – but now – looking at all the flights that could take him anywhere in the country, he realized that he had no clue where she might be. He had thought at first that some mystical power, their love, would guide him but now he was at a loss.

He sat on a bench and tried to reason what he might do. He thought about calling Amy but doubted that Maria had let her know where she had gone. Maria had learned over the past years that too much information could endanger the ones she loved. He thought of Jesse's mother, but was sure that Isabel would have stopped him from telling her as well.

Michael was about to give up when he remembered someone. Sean. Sean was an annoying cousin of Maria's that no one really knew about. Maria might have told Sean where she had gone in case there was an emergency. Sean would be pretty safe, and if he wasn't – it wouldn't have been that big of a loss. He chuckled to himself.

Satisfied that she had done all she could, Serena handed the bottle to Ava. "Every five minutes, spray her with the water, then move away from her. She doesn't need the extra heat of your body near her."

Ava nodded, happy to help the only member of the group who had ever been truly nice to her. Because of the drama, she had spent much of her time these last six months in her room avoiding everyone. Only speaking to Michael a few times about Liz's supposed betrayal. She had never wanted to believe that Liz would do such a thing and when Michael came to her, sharing his doubts, she knew she never should have believed it at all.

"I am going to be right outside the door. If anything, anything at all, changes come and get me."

Ava nodded her agreement then went back to spraying the cold water on Liz.

Serena walked out of the room to find Max pacing in front of it.

"What happened to her? Will she be alright?" Max asked quickly when Serena emerged.

"She had a heatstroke."

Max nodded his head understanding Serena's initial confusion. "It's freezing outside and only in the low sixties in the cave. How in the hell could she have had a heatstroke?" He asked himself before quickly answering his own question. "Someone else did it - and that someone had to be an alien. That had been why she had screamed."

Serena continued answering Max's initial questions, "I don't know if she will be alright or not. Her fever is still way too high," she avoided telling him that if she could actually take Liz's temperature she could tell more, "and she's in a coma." She looked up sadly at Max. "She may not make it and if she does, she probably will have severe brain damage."

Max chastised himself. "It's all my fault." Max fought the tears in his eyes, knowing those tears wouldn't do any good. He had to find out who did this and why. Maybe that would help him find a way to connect with her, to heal her.

"Is there a silver handprint on her?" He asked although he already knew the answer.

Max's anger rose when Serena confirmed that there was. "Who in the hell! Did you see anyone!"

Serena took a deep breath. Then told Max what she had seen. "I only saw the back of him as he ran off." She tried to remember the information she had noted in her brain an hour earlier. "I think I've seen him before but I'm not sure where."

Max grabbed Serena by the shoulders and started to shake her. "YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER!"

Serena pushed him away. "LET ME GO!" When Max did, she stepped back to calm herself a bit. "Max, I am trying to remember but I promise you shaking me will not help!"

Max let go and looked down at her. "I'm sorry." He said surprising even himself with the words. He was losing control, he didn't want to but he knew he had to clear his mind and then find out who the hell did this. "I'm going to go look into this. Will you please let me know if there is any change?"

Serena understood his frustration. She nodded as he walked towards the cave entrance.

Onuris strolled into his quarters and turned on the light to find one of the human guards sitting in the corner of the room.

"Tell me why you chose to invade my area!" He demanded.

"YOU WILL NOT SPEAK TO ME IN THAT MANNER!"

Onuris realizing his mistake, bowed low, trying to pacify his queen. "I'm sorry your majesty. I did not realize it was you."

The queen stood up from her seat. "EXPLAIN YOURSELF!"

"Mistress?"

"Do not be coy with me! What did you do to the human girl!"

Onuris knew he had been caught. "I . . . didn't know . . . what to do." He stammered, then found his voice again. "Zan informed me that she was gone but when I went into the caves she saw me and her memory returned."

"So you decided to harm her?"

"I saw no other way, your majesty."

"Did I not tell you before you left that once my son completed his mission, he would not be denied his happiness?"

Onuris nodded respectfully.

"SHE IS HIS HAPPINESS!"

Onuris sunk away from her.

"You will turn yourself in to Zan, and allow him to heal the girl. Then after that is finished you will accept any punishment my son deems necessary!"

Onuris knew his fate was sealed but for the good of his planet and his loved ones that lived upon it, he would do as he was told. He nodded his head in agreement, then bowed as the queen left the room.

Jesse and Maria waited to board the plane to Albuquerque. Maria looked at her watch once more. She was worried about her friend yet filled with wonderful anticipation about seeing Michael again. "I have to make a call." She said.

Jesse nodded. "Don't take too long we board in ten minutes."

Maria smiled and walked to the phones. Picking one up; she dialed Michael's cell.

The phone rang four times until a female voice answered the phone. "Hello."

Maria's first thought was to hang up. "How dare he! I'm pregnant for God's sake!" She calmed a little to ask sweetly, "Can I speak to Michael Guerin please?"

The girl on the other end sounded tired and frustrated as she answered. "He's not here, may I take a message."

Maria's patience left her. "Who the hell is this!" She demanded.

"Serena, Serena Baptiste, and you are?"

"This is Maria, Michael's girlfriend and mother of his child!" She said tartly.

The woman on the other end of the phone started to giggle causing Maria's anger to grow.

Unamused, Maria started to hang up, but then heard the woman on the other end start to yell out.

"Maria, don't hang up. I'm sorry; it's been a long day."

Maria put the receiver back to her ear but still did not say a word.

"Maria honey, I've heard a lot about you. I'm not a threat, I'm just a scientist brought to help with the machine here."

Maria gasped but let Serena continue.

"Michael gave me his phone before he left so I could contact a friend if I needed her."

Apprehension took the place of the anger in Maria's voice. "Michael is gone?"

"He went to look for you. Max told him to leave." 

Maria wondered about what had been happening since she left but knew that she couldn't start asking questions on an unsecured line so she said simply, "but I'm coming there."

Serena looked at her watch. He might not have boarded a plane yet, she thought. "Look I'm going to try to call and have him paged at the airport. Give me a number where he can reach you – I'll have him call if I get a hold of him."

"He can't. Just make him stay if you get a hold of him."

"Sure."

Maria could hear the speakers announcing that her plane was being boarded. "Look I have to go." Then she added as an afterthought. "He doesn't know I'm pregnant." Then she hung up.

Max walked out into the desert night once again, unsure of what he should do. He looked up at the stars; the stars that he had, just hours ago, been under as he told Liz that he no longer loved her. The stars where he had decided to walk away – to leave her – to rid both of them from each other forever. And now, he had his wish. If he couldn't find an answer, she would be gone.

He knew the fault was his, but still he couldn't help believe that if he hadn't been the king, if he had been of only one world, it would never have happened.

Tears of anger rolled down his cheeks in waves. He no longer cared to keep them at bay. He lifted his hand, shaking it in protest at the universe, and screamed. "DAMN YOU TO HELL!"

Part 20

After speaking to Sean, who had been uncharacteristically helpful, Michael bought a ticket to New York. As he sat down in the terminal to wait for his plane to board he heard his name boom over the loudspeaker.

"Michael Guerin. Michael Guerin. Please pick up the nearest courtesy phone."

Confused, Michael found a phone immediately and picked it up. "Hello."

"Michael?" He heard Serena's voice on the other end.

"Yeah."

Serena sounded relieved. "I'm so glad I caught you - don't go anywhere."

Michael heard the call for his plane to board. "My plane is boarding. What the hell do you mean don't go anywhere?"

"Maria just called your phone."

Michael rolled his eyes when he heard that. After having no contact for months, he could just imagine what Maria thought when Serena answered - he didn't ask, he just waited.

Serena continued. "She is coming here."

Utter disbelief went through Michael. "What!"

"She didn't tell me a lot. She just told me that she was going to be arriving at the Albuquerque airport later today."

Michael had a million questions but figured that Serena would have told him if anything else important was said. "Do you know her flight number?"

"No I don't know anything else – sorry, but I'm sure you'll be able to find her."

Michael heard the stress in Serena's voice. "Is everything ok?"

Serena struggled with what exactly she should tell Michael. She knew to leave the Maria situation to Maria but she wasn't sure how much to tell him about Liz. She decided to keep it short and simple, figuring that Michael would have enough to deal with in the next few hours. "There have been some developments but nothing you can help with – at least not right now. Just come back as soon as you can once you pick Maria up."

"We will." Although out of character for Michael, he didn't argue. Not because he didn't want to - he knew Serena was keeping something important from him but he had gotten to know her well enough these last few months to know that she wasn't going to tell him anything more. He also realized that if he did ask Serena would just fly off the handle and he wouldn't learn anything more anyway. That girl had to be the most impatient person he had ever met. He would let it go until he could return to the compound.

Serena was so tired; she almost forgot the other favor she needed from Michael. "Oh - Michael, don't hang up."

"Yeah."

"I was unable to talk to Max about this but my friend, the linguist is going to be arriving there sometime today too. Will you pick him up?"

"Sure - what's his name?"

"Alden. Alden Sutton, he'll be coming from New York."

"Flight?"

"Number 482, America West."

"No problem."

"Thanks."

Serena hung up the phone and walked over to Liz. Ava got out of her way and Serena moved closer to examine her again. She felt her head. Her temperature had receded, that was good. She took her pulse. It had slowed, also good. Then she looked again at her pupils. They were still fixed. She sighed. "Not a good sign." She thought."

Worried by the scowl on Serena's face Ava asked. "Is she going to be ok?"

Serena was touched by her concern. The girl had been all but invisible over the past few months but as soon as she had been called upon to help she had immediately filled the position she was needed for. This girl had a quiet strength that none of the others seemed to notice. Serena felt sorry for the small girl.

"Serena?"

Serena snapped out of her thoughts to answer. "To be honest, it doesn't look good." She watched as Ava's face fell a bit. Serena hated being the bearer of bad news – she didn't have the disposition for it. One more reason she couldn't make it in medical school. She wanted to give the girl, and herself too, some hope. "Maybe Max will find a way to heal her."

Ava looked down in what seemed to be shame. "I tried."

Serena looked up confused. "What do you mean you tried?"

"I can heal a little. Not as well as Max but a little. I thought maybe Max couldn't heal her because Max has hated her for so long, but when I tried, I couldn't get through to her either. I'm sorry."

Serena once again felt sorry for this small girl. She wondered, what kind of life had she had, that she felt the need to apologize for trying to do something good? She looked down at the girl and tried to comfort her. "Ava don't be sorry. You tried - you did your best. That's all any of us can do."

Ava nodded and went back to caring for Liz. "You can sleep for a while. I promise to wake you if anything happens."

Knowing she needed the rest, Serena smiled sweetly at Ava. "Thank you. I will just take a nap here." And with that, she laid her head against the wall and drifted back off to sleep.

Max entered the main house still despondent and unsure of what he was going to do, when Onuris walked up to him and bowed lower than Max had ever seen the older man bow.

"Your Highness, I have a confession to make."

Max's nerves started to prickle, instinctively knowing this had to do with Liz. He took a breath, fighting for control, then asked in an eerie monotone, "What?"

Onuris stayed in his position as he spoke. "I was not aware that the human girl was important to you."

Max stopped his desire to attack. He would wait until Onuris finished. He clenched his jaw. "Continue." He prodded still in the same monotone.

"Please have mercy, your highness. I was the one who harmed the girl."

Max felt no mercy. He wanted this man who bowed before him dead. Pleasure ran through his body as he thought about beating this man, as a human would before blasting his ass to the next solar system.

Losing all of the control he had summoned when this conversation began, he stepped forward and pulled Onuris up by the back of his shirt. Before Onuris could respond Max had shoved his forearm into his trachea. "TELL ME WHY!"

Onuris had never been at the king's mercy - he realized then that the king, although young, was more terrifying than the dowager queen had ever been. "She remembered." He choked out.

Max relaxed his body the tiniest bit, so Onuris could speak a little easier. "What EXACTLY did she remember?" He asked slowly.

"She remembered me. She remembered coming here. She remembered why she betrayed you."

Max's emotions became paradoxical. Part of him hurt in hearing that she had indeed betrayed him but he also felt elation that there had been a reason, a reason he hoped - or maybe even knew - was just. He wanted to know that reason, he wanted to beat it out of the man standing before him, but Max realized that Liz's life was more important. "You will heal her."

Looking up at his king, Onuris shook his head. "I cannot, sire." He saw the madness in Max's eyes from his statement and knew the time had come to tell him the truth. "You can though."

Max shook his head. "DON'T FUCKING LIE TO ME! I can't! I already tried!"

"Sire," Onuris was actually pleading now, "you can; actually you always could. You just have to believe that you can, believe in your abilities and . . ." he seemed to scowl as he continued "believe in this love you have for the girl. But still you must accept your destiny and become the king you were born to be."

Max pushed against Onuris harder as he spoke of destiny. He didn't need or want to hear about something he had already accepted – it had nothing to do with this. "When I try to connect I see nothing. I can't heal her if I can't see inside."

Onuris swallowed hard. "The darkness is just a shield, put there by me so you would believe the healing was not working."

Max didn't utter another sound to Onuris; instead he called for his guards. Although he was unsure if they would obey him, he told them to put Onuris in a room and watch him.

Michael had picked up Alden at the airport and now, as they waited for Maria's plane to arrive, Michael paced while Alden looked on amused

Michael was concerned about what was happening back at the camp but he was more worried about seeing Maria once again. It had been six months and a lot could have changed in that time. He looked at the flowers in his hand. It had seemed like such a great idea to buy them but now he wondered if these pathetic gift shop flowers could even begin to make up for what he had put her through when he made her leave.

Alden was tired of watching Michael pace and finally spoke up to tell him so. "Could you please stop? Pacing does no one any good."

Michael stopped and looked over at the man sitting in front of him. Alden was a very strange man. Michael had expected a pretentious, older man but instead he had picked up someone about the same age as he was, wearing a sweatshirt and blue jeans, a man whose first words after he got off the plane was to ask Michael where they could get a beer. Michael shrugged. "It helps to keep moving." Then once again started to pace.

Alden rolled his eyes. "Please, tell me what it will take for you to stop."

Michael's curiosity had been eating him up since he picked the man up, so with, what Michael perceived as an invitation, he sat down next to Alden. "Why don't you tell me how you know Serena? That might help."

Not one to talk about himself or his friends, Alden almost told Michael to go back to pacing, but decided against it - it wasn't an exciting story anyhow. "I met her through a mutual friend."

"Cassandra?"

Alden's face crinkled for an instant before his nonchalant demeanor returned. "No, actually through her husband."

Michael nodded, assuming correctly that Alden had meant Serena's ex, then he asked.

"But you know Cassandra too?"

"I know her."

"So who is she - she seems to know a lot."

Alden smirked. "Someone you don't want to know."

"Why is that?" Michael asked, confused that Serena seemed to respect the woman but a friend of her's seemed to have such disdain for her.

The announcement blared over the intercom just in time for Alden to avoid anymore of Michael's questions. "Flight 682 from New York arriving."

Forgetting his questions, Michael jumped up, both excited and nervous to see his beloved.

Alden stayed seated as Michael stood with flowers in hand, watching the door where Maria would eventually appear.

Serena stood up as Max barged into Liz's room. "Max." Serena started sternly. "I told you . . ."

Max didn't let her finish. "Get out of the way Serena."

Something in his voice made Serena move.

Max walked to the bed and looked down at Liz, seemingly sleeping peacefully. He knew she wasn't, though, she was hanging on for dear life. He bent down beside the bed and held his hand out above her. He ran his hand through her hair, then touched her face determined to make the connection.

He felt the darkness, the abyss that he had seen before. There was so much emptiness that it was frightening, but instead of stopping he wading through it, looking for a sign that would tell him that he was getting though. He stayed in longer than he ever had, promising God or whoever, that he would do anything if he could just heal this woman one more time.

When the darkness didn't dissipate, he felt the doubt enter him once again. He pushed it away then did something he hadn't done before. He let go. He stopped focusing on his anger, on his needs, and started remembering their love.

In that moment the darkness began to part. Just a small slit of light coming through the curtain of the abyss but enough to give him hope. As he traveled towards the light, a small part of her consciousness appeared.

The flashes started slowly once he entered the light, flashes of her as a child, flashes her as a teenager when they first fell in love, and flashes of her years in New Orleans. There were even some since she had been at the compound. He felt shame in the knowledge of how he had made her feel these last few months.

He moved his hands down her body to her internal organs, leaving her mind until the end. He wove together the parts that had been harmed by a man he had trusted. Once that was finished and without breaking the connection, Max moved his hands back up her body and placed them on her head, once again.

He saw the damaged cells in her brain and commenced the process of reconstructing them, making them whole, not just the ones Onuris had damaged, but the ones that had been injured before he had brought her to him, putting back the receptors to her memory, determined that she would have her mind whole again.

As he worked, the answers to all his questions flashed before him. She had not left on her own, but had been taken by some of the skins to Khivar. There she had been terrorized for months by him. Khivar had torn her body apart, piece by piece. Max felt all of the horror she had endured as Khivar ripped her flesh and took her mind. He felt her fear and her pain and then he saw how she had stayed firm, never betraying him to his enemy.

Then he saw the reason that she had given up – the reason that she had finally given in to Khivar and told him what he wanted to know. She had done what she had to do in order to save a child. His child.

He almost stopped then, not wanting to bear the images, any longer but continued when he decided his pain would never compare to hers. That was when he saw his mother and what she had done for Liz. He saw his mother's wisdom and mercy.

He ceased the healing immediately, retracing the last few steps, causing the damage Onuris had inflicted to return. He would never allow her to relive this pain.


	3. Chapter 21 to 30

Part 21

Maria followed behind Jesse as they disembarked the plane, unsure of Michael's reaction if he happened to be there waiting. She stood on her tip toes, looking over Jesse's shoulder, scanning the terminal, until she saw him. She pushed Jesse towards him, biting her lip in anticipation.

Michael didn't see Maria at first, just Jesse. Concern had passed over him until he saw the blonde head bobbing from behind his brother-in-law. He smiled to himself, as he started walking towards them. Patting Jesse on the back, he reached around him for Maria. Looking into her eyes, mesmerized, he yanked her into his arms.

Maria reached around and hugged him back fiercely, looking up to receive the kisses that she had missed these past few months. 

Michael felt her stomach immediately. "What the hell?" He asked himself, as he pushed her to arms length and looked down at her wide girth. His mood blackened. Subdued by her condition he handed her the flowers as questions began to pass through his mind. He stopped himself, he knew at this time, with his anger and pain he shouldn't ask.

Maria felt the need to explain when she saw the turmoil in his eyes. "It's yours."

Michael looked straight into her eyes, wanting her to understand that question had not entered his mind. "I know." He answered succinctly. Noticing that Isabel had not gotten off of the plane; he walked past her to Jesse to get the next round of surprises.

Max sat at the edge of Liz's bed and watched as she slept. She hadn't woken up yet and, although Max knew the last few days must have taken a lot out of her physically and mentally, he still worried that maybe the healing hadn't worked. He reached down, gently pushing the hair out of her face. She stirred a little, showing more signs of life than she had during her coma, confirming that he had indeed managed to heal her broken body.

He sat back and closed his eyes. The ordeal had depleted his energy as well. He was amazed that even after everything he had put her through, she had loved him. He thought about how close he had come to losing her. Not just during the last few days but during the last few years. God, he loved this woman and no matter what happened he always would.

He let his mind wander to the dreams of long ago. Max admitted that he not only loved her but he wanted her, he needed her. He fantasized about being with her forever, holding her close to him so that no pain would ever come to her again. He thought about a wedding and children and growing old with her.

Just wanting to feel her touch, he reached towards her and took her hand in his.

Michael watched the road in silence, not knowing what to say or what to do, his mind torn between worry for Isabel and anger at Maria. Jesse had explained what happened to Isabel in detail but Michael didn't know what they were going to do. He knew they needed to get to Antar; that they had to find a way to save her but there wasn't a way, at least not a way he could think of.

The Maria situation was another story. The questions that churned in his mind caused his anger to elevate. "When had she lost all faith in him? Couldn't she trust him anymore? How the hell could she have kept this from him? Had she ever planned on telling him?" He was so furious at her. He couldn't believe that she hadn't seen fit to tell him that he was going to be a father.

Maria's bladder caused her to be the first to speak. "I have to go to the bathroom."

No one answered.

Maria was getting tired of this whole situation. "Did you hear me! We need to stop!"

"I heard you." Michael answered.

Maria turned towards him. "How long are you going to act this way?"

"What way?"

"Like an ass."

"Oh I'm sorry – I'm an ass." Michael answered sarcastically. "You walk off a plane pregnant. Hell, very pregnant! A condition you didn't think I had a right to know about and I'm supposed to be pleased?"

Maria rolled her eyes. She had been so worried that he wouldn't think the baby was his, she never thought about his anger at not knowing. "Look I'm sorry, but really Michael, YOU told me to leave. Hell you pushed me out the door! What exactly was I suppose to do? Just call you up and say something like 'Hi Spaceboy. I know you want nothing to do with me because of your alien bullshit but guess what, I'm pregnant.'?"

Michael looked over at her, his eyes hot with anger. "Yes Maria, exactly like that!" He was silent for a few seconds then asked the question that had gnawed at him since he first noticed her condition. "Were you ever planning on telling me!"

Exasperation filled Maria. "I don't know!" She lied. "Maybe I didn't want my child growing up, dealing with all this crap. Maybe I wanted him to have a normal life, one that doesn't include the alien abyss."

"And what if my child _is_ an alien? Did you think about that!"

Michael didn't let her answer. He saw a gas station and pulled in; slamming on the breaks he turned towards her and yelled. "Fine, you don't want me to have anything to do with you or my child so as soon as we get back, I will make sure you have the means to go back to your human life!"

"Good!" Maria answered, getting out of the car and slamming the door.

Jesse sat in silence with Michael for a few seconds before deciding to add his two cents worth. "She spent the whole trip excited about seeing you and hoping that you would understand." When Michael didn't reply, thinking about Isabel, Jesse added sadly, "Is it worth losing her, Michael?"

Michael remained silent while Jesse got out of the car. "I'm going to get something to drink. Do you all want anything?"

Michael shook his head as he exited the car but Alden yelled, "Yeah I could use a beer."

Jesse nodded and walked away.

Alden waited for a minute or two and then stepped out of the car. He stared thoughtfully at the sulking Michael, considering what he should say. Michael's relationship was none of his business so he opted to steer the conversation in another direction. "Aliens?"

Michael had been so absorbed in the argument with Maria he didn't think about Alden being in the car. He thought about trying to cover the conversation but decided if Serena trusted this man he probably wouldn't freak out and give them away; at least not until he heard the whole story. And anyway, Alden would have to study the Destiny Book, so he was going to find out sooner or later. "Yeah, some of us are aliens."

Serena sure had a knack for getting involved in the craziest shit. Alden thought to himself. "Do these alien issues always include so much drama?"

Michael almost smirked at the question. Of course they did. He just shrugged. "I guess so."

"Well, no offense but I really don't need any extra drama in my life, so I think I'll take my leave of you now." Alden said as he turned and started to walk away. 

Michael called after him. "Hey, I won't hold you against your will," Which was technically true, He wouldn't. But now with Isabel's life possibly on the line, Michael better understood the decisions that Max had made in the past. He motioned towards a pay phone outside of the gas station. "As long as you call Serena and explain why you aren't going to come with us."

Alden stopped when he heard Michael and cringed. The man was right; he should be the one to explain it to Serena. "Never mind." Alden turned around and walked back to the car. "Bring on the mind melds and anal probes; they have to be easier to endure than Serena's wrath."

Serena finally refreshed, walked quietly into Liz's room. "How is she?" She whispered.

Max looked up, still sad from his former realizations. "She hasn't woken up yet."

"She's been through a lot."

Max nodded. 

"You need to get some rest."

Max shook his head. Until he was sure that she would be all right, he would not leave her side.

Serena seemed to understand. "I sent Ava to get you something to eat."

"Thank you."

Alden and Jesse followed Michael and Maria down to the granilith cave.

Hearing the commotion outside the door, Serena jumped up and ran out the door. "What the hell is going . . ." She stopped mid-sentence to see Michael, her old friend and two people she had never met before.

Alden smiled at the site of her. It had been a long time. "Ser, babe!" He held out his arms for the hug he was sure to get.

Serena squealed. "Alden!" She ran into his arms.

Finally they parted and Serena extended a hand to the others. "Hi, I'm Serena. You must be Jesse and Maria."

Smiling at her, Maria nodded, while Jesse took her hand. "Nice to meet you."

Jesse had finished with the niceties. He spoke up to the reason he was there. "Where is Max?"

Serena nodded towards Liz's room. "I'll get him for you." She turned to go back to the room but Jesse pushed past her.

"Max!" Jesse yelled urgently.

Max heard the yelling and walked out of the room and closing the door behind him. "Keep you voice . . ." He stopped short seeing the group standing in front of him. His eyes assessed each of them. He noticed first Maria's condition then his sister absence. He knew something had gone terribly wrong. "Where is Isabel?"

The question brought a deluge of answers. Max couldn't hear anything anyone said. Finally he lifted his hand. "SILENCE!" He yelled then angrily continued, "Jesse, tell me where my sister is!"

Jesse took a long breath before telling the tale of the abduction.

After explaining the alien soap opera, as he now called it, to Alden, Serena handed him the Destiny Book. "This is what needs to be translated."

Alden sat at a table in the granilith lab and opened the book and studied it for a few seconds. "It's not a language I've seen before." He closed the book.

"That's it?"

Alden smirked. "No babe, that is not it but before I start we need a beer – it helps me to concentrate."

Serena rolled her eyes and joked with him. "So you're still a lush?"

"No more then you, kiddo." He quipped but then got serious. "Ser, why are you mixed up in all this? These people, aliens, whatever, have more drama in their lives than you do."

Serena shrugged. "It keeps my mind off of my own problems and anyway, they need me."

"You can't save the world babe."

Serena shrugged again. "I know but I can help them save their world."

"Sometimes I think someone should lock you away to keep you out of trouble."

Serena smiled. "Already been tried. Let's go find you a beer so you can concentrate."

Liz's eyes fluttered open to find Max staring down at her. The last thing she remembered was Onuris coming at her. She looked up in his eyes and could see the love that he had denied all this time. "You were worried about me." She said almost gleefully.

Max grinned then shrugged.

She sat up and looked under the sheet that covered her, seeing the silver handprint starting to form. "You healed me?"

He nodded slowly.

Liz felt the joyful tears forming in her eyes. She reached out to him.

Leaning down, Max pulled her into his arms. Their love overwhelmed him as he bent his head down to kiss her lips. The sensation was intoxicating. He moved his hand around her neck pulling her closer, deepening the kiss; causing the beginnings of the connection that had been denied for too long.

His tongue found its way to hers as he used his other arm to pull her closer, lost in the ecstasy of the moment. He groaned at the feeling of her hand running softly up his chest. He realized his heaven as he felt her love for him, but then, knowing that she could feel his love for her, he realized his hell. In anguish, he disconnected himself from her.

He had known there would be consequences to his actions. He had known they could never connect again but he hadn't counted on the connection coming back so strong. If he could not control the connection he would never be able to touch the woman he loved again.

She reached up towards him, beckoning him back into her arms.

Max felt his arms instinctively start to reach back. He wanted nothing more than to feel her in them but he forced them down, knowing that he could not risk her seeing what he had seen.

She saw him pull back, but she would not be deterred. She moved her hand closer to him. 

He saw it coming. He stood up and walked away from her.

"Max?"

He felt the tears in his eyes. He loved her so much. He shook his head as he turned away from her. Opening the door to her room, he said sadly, "I can't. Not now and maybe not ever."

He walked out, hearing her pleas as he did. She had given up her dreams for him, a long time ago and now he would do the same for her.

Maria sat on her bed, waiting for Michael. He had stayed to find out about Liz after learning what had happened. She was still in awe that Liz was even in the compound and couldn't seem to get her mind around the fact that Liz had not betrayed her loved ones.

Michael walked into the room, shutting the door behind him. He walked to the bed and sat beside her. He knew he had reacted badly. He took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her wrist, asking in his own way to be forgiven. 

As if knowing his father was finally near, the baby started to kick. Maria pulled Michael's hand to her, placing it on her stomach, letting Michael know that she forgave him.

Immediately the baby kicked causing Michael to jump a little at the new sensation. He couldn't seem to find the words to express his feelings about this life growing in his lover's body. "He's strong." He finally said. 

Maria smiled. "Like his daddy."

Michael sat smiling, comfortable in the moment, until Maria spoke. "What is going to happen to Isabel?"

Dejected, because there was nothing he could do he answered, "I don't know." He took a deep breath before continuing. He hated that he had to tell her once again that he would leave. "Max will find a way to save her."

Maria looked down sadly at her every expanding belly. She knew what that meant. That soon Michael would leave again. She put her game face. "Will you come back?"

Michael reached up and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, then, looking directly into her eyes he answered firmly. "Yes. I will come back. I promise."

Maria nodded. She knew he loved her and he had every intention of keeping that promise. But she also understood that he would be going into a war zone and anything might happen. She pushed the tears back. "I was going to tell you about the baby."

Michael leaned forward to kiss her temple. "I know."

She turned towards him, reaching behind his neck to pull him towards her. It was time for the long awaited kiss and more.

Part 22

"Where is Isabel?"

Max could barely control his rage as he spoke in a low, carefully tempered voice.

Onuris shivered in response, but still he lied. "I believe Mexico Sire."

Max looked at him with fire in his eyes as he sneered, "What happened to my sister?"

Onuris hid his eyes. "I do not know your majesty."

Max lunged at him. Grabbing him by the throat, he jerked the alien to within inches of his face. He pulled every ounce of his power to his hand and started slowly burning Onuris' body from the inside. Through gritted teeth Max hissed, "I know Isabel is on Antar, and I know you had something to do with that. If you want to die quickly you will tell me what has happened. Otherwise, I guarantee you an agonizing death as I cook you slowly."

Onuris tried to free himself from Max's iron grip but to no avail. Max shoved him away roughly and barked the order. "SPEAK!"

Still feeling the heat in his body, Onuris knew he would not be able to take the torture his king would submit him to. "She is with Khivar."

"How the hell did Khivar know where to find her?" Max growled.

Onuris knew he could not inform the king on his mother's involvement. He knew the truth would not save him, not after he almost killed the human. "I told him." He said, bracing himself for what was to come.

Max instinctively raised his hand to Onuris, preparing to kill him, but stopped. He had to find out everything he could before they left for Antar. "Why did you tell him! Do you work for Khivar!"

Onuris shook his head. "I am a loyal subject of the crown your majesty. I only told Khivar when you brought the human girl to your side. I worried that you would stay on Earth to be with her instead of fulfilling your duty, instead of going back to Antar and freeing our people."

"So now I must go back to save my sister! Is that it! It is all about manipulation!"

Onuris nodded and looked up at the king. "Our people are suffering. If we do not save Antar soon our people will be all but extinct and then afterwards, your precious Earth will fall. You must save us, but you did not understand that. All you understood was what you believed you had here. I had to make you want to go home."

"Who else is involved? Asim?"

Onuris knew that his mission was complete. He knew there was no point in lying to the king anymore. "Asim did help me sire, but he is just a servant who followed orders."

Max motioned to the guards to come closer. "Asim is to be placed in another cell immediately."

The guards nodded and walked out to do their master's bidding, while Onuris braced himself for his death.

Max looked up at Onuris noticing his discomfort. "I will not kill you now." He snarled before walking out of the cell.

Alden took a big gulp of his beer. "Holy shit Ser! You've got to see this."

Rolling her eyes, Serena dutifully walked over to where Alden sat and leaned over him. "What now?" She asked, figuring that once again he had figured out some insignificant phrase on alien recycling that would once again make him all too proud of himself.

"This is a passage on the granilith."

Serena picked up his beer and took a sip. "What? Does it explain how to flush it?"

Alden grabbed the beer out of her hand. "No." He replied as he rolled his eyes at her.

Serena giggled. "Ok, ok, tell me what you found."

"Well," Alden began clearing his throat, "This talks about the granilith. See that symbol right there?" he stabbed the book with his finger and looked up her excitedly.

Serena followed his finger with her eyes and nodded, "Yeah, I see that. But what does it say about the granilith?"

"I don't have that part figured out yet." he waved at her dismissively and took another sip of his beer.

"Well then what the hell are you so excited about?" Serena barked at him in exasperation.

"You know Ser, you need a good shot of Tequila, make that two." Alden winked at her. "You're getting awfully testy."

Serena put her hands on her hips and looked at him pointedly, "Alden, you call me over here, shouting like you just found the alien cure for cancer and then all you show me is one symbol. You're damn right I'm getting testy; we're running out of time!"

He finally understood. "Ser, Ser, baby," Alden set his beer down, stood up and hugged her. "Relax cara. It's progress ain't it? We'll get it done."

Serena growled at him as she pushed herself out of his arms, "I swear to God Alden. At the rate you're going Max won't ever have a chance to kill you. I'm gonna do it myself!

Trying to feel close to her, Jesse walked around the room where Isabel had resided these last few years, running his hand over the things she had left behind when she had decided to break free of Max. He picked up a picture of them taken years ago at some party. He had believed then that they were a normal couple with normal problems. It was like looking at a picture of your youth, when you still believe that everything revolves around you. Now he knew better.

His vision started to blur with tears. Would he ever see her again? Could he or Max or anyone rescue her from the evil that was on another planet? Jesse was so lost in his thoughts that he never heard Max as he walked in silently.

"Hey." He started.

Jesse tried to hide it as he wiped his eyes with his shirtsleeve. "Hey. What's up?"

"Just coming by to see how you're doing?" Max answered quietly, ignoring the tears he had seen.

Blaming the situation on Max, Jesse answered angrily. "How do you think I'm doing! My wife is gone, probably in the hands of a mad man and I'm stuck here on earth, not able to do a damn thing about it. And you, the GREAT ALIEN KING, are standing here asking how I'm doing."

Worn out emotionally as well as physically, Max fought to keep his cool. "We are doing everything that we can."

"REALLY! You're the 'more advanced species.' Shouldn't you be able to snap your fingers and get her back for me!"

Hearing Jesse's words caused Max to lose all control. "YOU'RE RIGHT!" He got into Jesse's face. "I am more advanced! I am smarter and stronger then you and if MY SISTER had been with me she would never have been taken!"

Max looked into Jesse's guilt ridden face, feeling guilty himself that his tirade had caused the desired effect. Jesse inched slowly away from Max. Max knew Jesse wanted to say more, but Max didn't want to deal with it, at least not now. Instead Max turned away from him and exited the room.

"Excuse me, sir." Langley walked into Max's study.

Max looked up agitated. He had spent the last week trying to find a way home, a way to save Isabel. "What?"

"There is something you need to see outside."

"I don't have time for games, Langley – just tell me what it is."

Langley nodded; he had not been playing games. "It is a ship from home."

Maria had wanted to talk to Liz as soon as she returned, but she had been a coward. She worried that Liz would never understand how she could believe something so bad about her best friend. Today she had finally decided that, good or bad, she could no longer put off the reunion.

She walked slowly into Liz's room, stopping just inside the door. Her first instinct was to walk up to Liz and hug her, just like old times, but her guilt kept her from that action.

Finally Liz broke the awkward silence. "Hi."

Maria stared at Liz for a few seconds. How could she have ever believed that Liz had done all those horrible things? "Hey." She walked closer to Liz as Liz stood up. "It's been a long time." Maria finally said before mentally kicking herself for being so lame.

Liz giggled, knowing what Maria was thinking. "Yes it has." She covered the last bit of distance between them and held out her arms.

Relief passed over Maria as she wrapped her arms around her childhood friend. "I was worried you wouldn't forgive me."

Liz gently pushed Maria to arms length. "Forgive you for what?"

Ashamed, Maria looked down at her feet. "For not believing in you. For trusting them when they told me that you betrayed us."

Liz scoffed. "Please Maria. If I had been in your place, I would have believed it too. I'm still not sure I wasn't the villain in all of this."

"Michael told me that Max said you aren't and if Max believes that you are not to blame then you aren't. He seems to believe the worse about people you know."

Liz nodded her head. "I know. I feel so sorry for him."

"Well don't! He brought all his problems on himself!"

"Maybe, but I still . . ."

Just like old times, Maria cut her off. "What! Love him! You don't need that heartbreak Liz."

Liz smiled knowing that Maria and she would have to agree to disagree once again. "Let's talk about something else, like your stomach." Liz teased as all the tension disappeared.

Maria rolled her eyes and giggled as she rubbed her belly affectionately. "Well, that's something I can't blame Max for, it's all Michael's fault."

She began filling Liz in on the years that Liz had missed.

Langley followed Max through the desert to the vessel that was hidden in between some rock formations. Michael had already arrived and was waiting impatiently for Max before looking over the ship. "It's about time," he grumbled.

Max ignored Michael's caustic remark and started his examination of the craft. Langley directed Max and Michael to where the hatch should be.

"You hand will open the door, like it does for the pod chamber." Langley said as he motioned to an area next to the entry.

As Max placed his hand in the area Langley indicated, the hatch slid open and dropped a short ladder to the ground. Michael started up the ladder without any hesitation as Max followed. 

When they entered the ship they saw what looked like a control room. There was a view screen that could not be seen from the outside and what appeared to be a large console in front of it. As they looked around, they noticed three more rooms; two of which seemed to be places to rest. The third resembled a galley, though neither Max nor Michael could decipher how the trappings might work.

"Where are the controls?" Max finally asked Langley.

"The ship is controlled with our minds." Langley walked over to the console and placed his hands it's surface. The device lit up with star charts as the floor began to rumble. "The ship is in excellent condition. We could try a test flight if you would like, but we might be detected."

Max shook his head as he looked around for the ship's pilot and crew.

Langley noticed his confusion and tried to explain. "It is probably on a remote."

Michael looked up, surprised. "A remote? From Antar?"

Langley nodded. "Our culture is far more advanced then this human planet."

Max nodded.

Michael looked on in disgust, but kept his mouth shut.

"I am not letting a remote take us back home. I can't be sure of who is in control of it." Max stated then turned to Langley. "Can you fly it?"

"It has been over fifty years, but I'm sure I can sir. I will need a few days to reacquaint myself with everything." Langley answered.

"Good. I want you to go over everything with Michael," Max ordered Langley. "We will leave as soon as we're sure it will work. How long will it take for us to get to Antar?"

Langley looked thoughtfully at the display in front of him. "Just over three weeks, if nothing goes wrong."

Michael immediately piped in, "Too long Max. I think we should give Serena and Alden some more time. Serena believes that if they can get the granilith to work, it will take us to Antar instantaneously."

"If we wait for them then we could be wasting time. I don't have a lot of faith in their abilities to get the granilith working properly." Max answered.

"Why not?" Michael questioned. "You seemed to believe that they could do it before this ship came."

"Because they're only humans."

Michael could not hold his tongue any longer. "You still believe that humans are beneath you, don't you!"

Max didn't know how to answer Michael so instead he just glared at him. He no longer believed that humans were beneath him, not really, but he also realized that they weren't as evolved. It was just a fact.

When Max didn't answer, Michael rolled his eyes but stopped himself from saying anything more. They had more important issues to worry about. "Whatever, Max. We have to decide what we're going to do."

Max did see the validity of Michael's arguments, but he knew they couldn't wait for something that might never come about. "They have until you and Langley figure out the operation of this ship. If they can't make the granilith work by then, we will take this ship to Antar. I know it will take longer but we can't afford to wait. Hopefully Isabel will still be alright when we arrive."

Quietly, Max slipped into the small room where Liz slept. He carefully avoided her during the day, not wanting the temptation to get the better of him, but during the night, this was where he could be found.

He knelt down at her bed side and watched as she breathed easily in and out. He fought the desire to reach out and touch her face, worried that even in her slumber the connection would form.

Days before, when he snuck into the room the first time, he told himself that he just wanted to make sure she was all right. Finally, he gave up on the pretense, knowing that he just needed to be near her.

He needed her, he knew that, but he couldn't have her. Part of him was relieved that he would leave soon, that the temptation would no longer be there. Of course thinking of leaving brought the pain back, knowing that he would be so far away.

In his fantasies he would come back and he would be able to be with her. She would be strong enough, with his help, to handle her memories or he would never have to let her see them. He would be able to control the connection they shared.

He stopped thinking of what may never be, watching as she slept. She looked so peaceful. Both Michael and Serena had told him that her nightmares had not been back since the healing. How could he ever give those back to her?

He looked up at the clock. He had been by her bed for hours. Although he hated to go, he knew he had to leave before she woke. He would never be able to explain his presence. He stood up and crept softly to the door.

Max, walking out of the kitchen, almost bumped into Maria. "Excuse me." He mumbled and then stepped back out of the way so she could pass. He couldn't really blame her, but Maria had barely spoken to him during the week she had been back.

Maria nodded slightly and walked past him to the refrigerator to get some milk.

Max started to walk out the door but stopped, surprised by how much he missed her friendship. He turned back, speaking softly. "Maria."

Maria looked up over the refrigerator door at him but didn't say anything.

Max walked a bit closer. "Can we talk?"

Maria glared at him. "I don't have anything to say to you Max! You are not my king, my family or even my friend anymore! So _no_ we can't talk. "

She tried to push her way past him but he caught her arm. She looked up at him defiantly. "Are you going to kill me?" She asked in all seriousness.

Saddened, Max let go of her, knowing that he could not force her to listen.

Maria looked into his face and saw a glimmer of the boy she had known years before. The boy who would beg her to tell him everything about Liz, the one who would risk his life to save any one of them, the boy who had once been her best friend.

She shrugged. "Fine, if you want to talk, you go over there," she pointed to the far side of the kitchen. "I'll stay here and _you_ can talk." She might have seen something in him from years before, something that made her want to at least hear him out, but that didn't mean that she trusted him.

Max honored her request and walked to the far corner of the room. Running his hands through his hair he sighed, gathering his thoughts. He looked into Maria's eyes and started, "I've made a lot of mistakes that I will never be able to fix. I know that will never atone for all that I put you and Michael through," He stopped, trying to find the appropriate words, but he couldn't. Nothing could ever atone for his sins. He looked up at her again saying all he knew to say, "I'm sorry. I wish . . ." Knowing what he wished would not make anything better he let his words fell off.

Maria, slightly stunned, studied him. There seemed to be so much regret in his eyes. She realized that regret was what made him look like the Max of her youth, but that was the only similarity to the boy she once knew. His eyes were so much older, he seemed to have aged decades in the amount of time the rest had only aged years.

She actually felt sorry for him, realizing the decisions he had made so they wouldn't have to, but that was as far as her sympathy would take her. She was still angry. He had done so much wrong and now, he was once again going to take the love of her life away. She looked down at her belly.

Max noticed the look, the wistfulness in her eyes. He walked carefully towards her, as he might creep up on a hurt animal, half expecting it to snap at him. He expected Maria to jump and run from him. When she didn't he inched closer, finally near enough to reach out to touch her shoulder.

Maria didn't startle. She had seen him coming, but when he touched her, she looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

He spoke with a certainty that he hadn't used in years, knowing that it was all he could do to begin righting his wrongs. "I promise you that he will come back to you."

The tears rolled down her cheeks as she nodded and turned to leave. She didn't understand why, maybe just because she needed to, but she trusted him.

Part 23

Serena paced back and forth in front of Alden. They had been working on the translation for nearly 48 hours. The breaks had been few and far between and the stress was starting to wear on her.

"Damnit Ser!" He yelled, frustration getting the best of him. "You're driving me crazy."

She stopped and put her hands on her hips. "I need to get out of here."

Alden gulped his beer then mumbled under his breath. "No shit."

"What?"

"Nothing." He looked back down at the book but feeling her glare on him, he looked back up. "Go! Take a break. I don't need your help right now."

"But the translation... "

"... can wait until tomorrow." He finished.

She shook her head. "We have to get it done. If we don't Max..."

Alden rolled his eyes. "...will what?" He had known from the beginning that Serena's initial assessment of Max, although may have been correct at the time, was completely wrong now. "Max will get it when he gets it and he knows that."

Turning back to the book, he waved her away, "Now go – PLEASE. I will get more done without you.

Serena looked as if she might say something smart-ass but then stopped, turned and walked quietly out the door.

"Thank God." He muttered, taking another drink from the can. He had known hours ago that she needed to leave and not just because she was making him nuts.

"You wanted to see me?" Michael asked, surprised that Max would take him away from his work on the ship.

Max nodded for him to sit down, but he hesitated to say anything. Michael was the only one of them that ever purposely blocked a connection from the one he loved. Max sought that ability, but he hadn't spoken to Michael or anyone about his feelings in so long, he didn't know how to start.

Michael scratched his eyebrow as he waited for Max to get to the point. He watched his leader squirm in his chair and knew this must be a big deal for him. He held his tongue for as long as he could before deciding Max needed a little push. He spoke as he started to rise. "Look Max, I have to get back."

Max watched as Michael got up and turned his back to him before he said anything. "I want to be able to touch Liz."

Michael stopped, awestruck. Not because of Max's statement, but because of the raw need that seemed to emanate from Max's voice. He turned around and studied him. There stood Max Evans, the mighty king of Antar, looking at him as if he were the savior of their race. "I don't know what you want me to tell you."

Max dropped down in a chair in frustration. Clearly, he would just have to spit it out. "Every time I touch her, a connection starts. How do I block that?"

Max had finally told Michael about the healing, about how little Lizzy Parker tried to stand up to Khivar to save them all. Michael didn't agree with Max's assessment of it though. He figured if Liz could do that, then she had the strength to deal with everything that happened. "Just let her know."

Max shook his head vigorously. "That is not an option. I won't do it. Not now. How do I block the connection?"

Michael started to get angry. Max was once again deciding other people's fates, but he knew he couldn't argue with Max about this, so he didn't. "You just shut down, close yourself off."

"But how?"

Michael knew it didn't matter how long Max questioned him about this, he would never be able to give him an acceptable answer. "It's not something I can just teach you how to do. You just do it. Hell, I would think it would be easy for you."

Max looked up, annoyed.

Michael shrugged. "Look Maxwell, I haven't tried to shut myself off from Maria in a long time, but that's all you've done to people for years. It really shouldn't be that hard for you."

Max knew he was right, but it was hard for him. He couldn't seem to find a way to shut down the connection between him and Liz. He wanted to, maybe even needed to, but if he couldn't; he knew he could never risk her sanity for a few moments of bliss.

Alden opened the door to his room to find Serena rummaging through his bag. He wasn't really surprised; he had known when he sent her away from the granilith lab what day it was. Every year this day was always hard for her. He had always tried to play the role of the supportive friend, tried to see her past the pain, but nothing he did was ever good enough. Only one thing seemed to bring her the comfort she sought.

With swollen eyes, she looked up at him. "Did you bring it?"

"Ser . . ." Alden started sadly.

But she cut him off, shaking her head. "I don't need any of your sage advice today."

He walked over to the bag and pulled out the bottle. Serena yanked it from him and started out his door.

Alden grabbed her arm. "That's not going to help. It's time to let it go. You didn't kill him. '_Life begins on the other side of despair'_."

She pulled away from him and fled out the door. "FUCK YOU and fuck Sartre too!"

He tensed slightly as the door slammed.

Isabel sat on the luxurious bed in the rooms where her captors had placed her days ago. It was actually quite a nice place for a prison. She enjoyed the best Antar had to offer, beautifully decorated rooms, wonderful food and servants who saw to her every need.

She stared at the clock that had been brought to her. Actually, it wasn't a clock like on earth, but the metal bar showed time, at least as the Antarians knew it. It was funny – when it had first been brought to her, she had instinctively known how to read it and she was reading it now. It was almost time for her daily visit and God how she hated that visit.

Isabel got up off of the bed and went about preparing herself. She dressed then walked into the sitting room, taking a seat on the chair she had placed in the middle of the room. She felt safest there away from corners where she could be pinned down.

She heard him as he entered her room, but didn't bother to look his way.

"Vilandra." He spoke softly as someone might speak to a child so not to scare it away.

She sat unmoving, looking towards the window. He pulled a seat next to her and sat down, pleading for her attention. After a few moments of silence he asked, "How was your midday meal?"

She rubbed the bruise that still discolored her cheek. At the start of her imprisonment, she had learned that answers were required. She studied the violet colors coming from the middle of the windowpane. "Fine." She answered flatly. Answers were required... feelings were not.

"I'm pleased." He said smiling. He reached towards brushing his hand against her cheek. "Would you like me to heal your face?" He asked with regret in his voice if not in his eyes.

She answered as she did each day. "No, thank you."

"Is there anything you desire?" The question seemed to beg for a longer answer.

She glared at him through the corner of her eyes all the while thinking what she desired, her freedom. But she was a good captive. "No, thank you."

Khivar stood up, and as always, took her hand in his. She had known from the first touch that he was trying to connect with her, but thankfully, she had lost that ability as a teenager. "I will leave you for today my dear." He said, bowing politely.

She watched from her seat as he walked back through the door. There was a sadness to his walk that almost made her feel sorry for him. The door closed and she saw the bright light beyond it, locking her in. "You've been here too long – you need to get a grip." She said reminding herself that she was his prisoner and deserved her hatred.

Serena sat on a rock, looking off into the darkness. She took another swig from the bottle, feeling the warmth of the liquor as it slid easily down her throat. Her tears had ceased and now the anger had started its encroachment on her sorrow. She never noticed Michael walking towards her.

Michael heard her sniffle and realized that she had been crying. "Is this a private party?" Michael asked.

Serena shrugged, then motioned that he could sit down.

Michael sat down and picked up the bottle to look at the label. "What the hell! Absinthe? Isn't that shit supposed to make you crazy?"

Serena yanked the bottle away from him, shrugged again, and took another swig.

He wanted to offer her his shoulder to cry on as he had months before, but he didn't know how.

"Want to talk about it?" Michael asked softly.

Holding the bottle by the neck, Serena shook her head and continued to stare into the distance.

Michael chastised himself for being so bad at this. A man of action, he was the kind of person who wanted to fix whatever was broken, not sit helplessly in silence. But he forced himself to wait, to just be there for her.

It seemed like hours before Serena whispered out an explanation. "Someone I once cared about died today."

Michael wanted to put his arm around her, to make it all better, but something about her demeanor told him that she would not accept it and it wouldn't help. He finally just said all he knew to say. "I'm sorry."

Serena took another drink and shrugged again. "Nothing anyone can do about it now. Of course, if I . . . when it happened... "

She stopped. "Never mind, what's done is done."

Michael sat quietly not knowing what to say, watching as Serena continued drinking out of the bottle.

Max had just left Liz's room and wandered into the dark hallway towards the entrance to the cave.

"Max?"

He was startled by the whisper coming from the dark, but then eased, realizing that the voice belonged to Liz. "Yes."

"Were you in my room?" She asked quietly. The hope in her voice tore his heart in two.

He thought of lying, that would be best, but his desires got the better of him. Instead of lying, he just stood quiet and still, watching her silhouette against the moonlight coming through the entrance. He was awestruck as she walked towards him.

As she approached, she reached out for him. "Tell me the truth Max. Tell me what you are keeping from me."

Her hand was almost to his face, when he gathered his wits and moved away. He turned his back to her. "I'm not keeping anything from you."

She would not be dissuaded. "I can tell that you are. Please Max." She pleaded.

He shook his head and started to walk away.

He felt her fingers wrap around his arm before he could close off as Michael had suggested. He saw her love flash before him and was almost lost. He needed her so bad. He regained his senses and stopped the connection. His heart soared a bit when the connection stopped. Could he dare ask for more?

Liz felt the connection stop. "See – you are hiding something."

Max knew this battle had been lost. "Yes I am."

"I can handle it, Max."

Max looked down into her eyes as he tentatively caressed her cheek. Thinking of all the pain she'd endured to protect him he replied, "No, you can't. At least not now."

When he continued to successfully block the connection, he ran his hand down her neck. Playing with a stray lock of hair, he pushed it behind her ear, "I do love you Liz, but that's all I can give you right now, is that enough?" He asked, speaking of the connection that he had blocked.

Liz looked up with defiance in her eyes as Max leaned in and brushed her lips with his. He wanted to lose himself in her, but restrained himself, worried the connection would come back without warning if he wasn't careful.

Liz's mind wanted to argue, she wanted it all and all included a connection, but to feel him this close after she never thought she would again... she made a decision. She would do something for Max that she swore she would never do for anyone. She would settle. She would take what he would give her. She loved this man more than life itself and if he needed to approach this is small degrees, that was a small price for her to pay for the luxury of having him in her arms again. She answered his question silently by wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer.

Max savored the feel of her skin, he wanted more. He wanted to feel the heat of her next to him, wanted to surround himself in the essence that was Liz. A war raged within him, a battle between what his mind knew and what was in his heart. He wanted nothing more then to be with her, but he feared his ability to block the connection wouldn't hold.

As if sensing his conflict, Liz drew away from him. She took his hand, threading her fingers through his, turned and started to walk towards her room. When Max hesitated, she looked back at him, "Max, just be with me. I don't need anything you aren't ready to give. Just lay with me for awhile and be with me." He nodded his assent and followed her.

Upon entering her room, Liz led him to her bed. Without letting go of his hand, she stretched out and pulled him down beside her. Liz sighed contentedly as Max wrapped her in his arms. He kissed the top of her head and laid his cheek against her hair. Feeling a calm roll over him he hadn't felt in years, he closed his eyes.

Serena knew that Michael was uncomfortable and at first, she just didn't give a damn but finally, she put the bottle down and changed the subject. "So how long until you figure out how to use that ship?"

"I don't know." If he were honest with himself and her, he would say as long as possible. It wasn't that he didn't want to go – but he was torn - he hated that Isabel was with Khivar and worried about her safety, but he kept thinking of Maria and the baby. "What about the granilith?"

"That's a mystery also." She took another drink. "We are getting close."

He looked out across the desert, "It doesn't look like I will see my baby born."

Serena handed Michael the bottle, she couldn't alleviate his distress and honestly, tonight, she didn't care too but he could drown his sorrows with her. He just shook his head and pushed it away. They sat in silence for a while longer.

"Michael, I don't mean to be rude, but I really need to be by myself for a while." She picked the bottle back up and swallowed a big gulp. She noticed Michael's uneasiness so she added, "Don't worry. Alden knows where I am; he will come and collect me by daybreak."

Michael didn't want to leave her but Maria had taught him long ago that a grown woman can take care of herself. He decided to leave but would pass by Alden's room before he went back to make sure he knew where she could be found.

She sat in her drawing room looking out at the second sun setting in the north when he came in. She felt him long before he approached her but never acknowledged him.

The man didn't even bother to bow. Protocol was something he never became accustomed to. "When were you going to tell me?"

The Queen turned regally from the window to look at the man's face but didn't bother to answer.

"Well?"

"How dare you come into my quarters and demand answers to your questions. I made you and I can destroy you."

The man smirked. "You made me – that's true – but I know that you wouldn't destroy me. You need me too much." He walked over and stood over the queen. "Now, my queen..." the sarcasm dripping from his lips, "...when were you going to tell me that your daughter is on Antar? When were you going to tell me that you traded her to your worst enemy? When were you going to tell me about my part in your little play? When were you going to tell me that the one she loves must save her from the one who loves her?"

The queen turned back to the window. "What makes you believe you are the one in her heart?"

"Because I would still be fertilizing the earth if I weren't."

Note: is a quote by Jean Paul Sartre.

Part 24a

Serena woke to a well deserve hangover and one of Alden's goofy grins. "What?" She growled.

"Good morning to you, too." He said smiling.

She turned over in her bed and faced the wall, she needed to go back to sleep – at least until the pounding in her head went away. "Go away!"

"Get up babe." He nudged her a bit. "Coffee – I have coffee," he teased.

She turned to face him, propping herself up on one elbow and reached for the coffee.

"No, no, no." He jumped up and walked to the other side of the room. "If you want the coffee you have to get out of bed." He waited while she glared at him. "Come on Ser, we have work to do."

Serena prayed that the hot coffee would spill and scald him. When it didn't she shrugged, rolled out of the bed and walked over to him. Reaching for the cup she warned, "Waking me up so early better mean that you found the key to the translation."

"Well Ser, I think I did." He grinned. "But I need your help to make sure."

Serena took a long drink of the coffee and then handed the cup back to him, "I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

Max watched as his minions once again tore into Onuris. He needed to know who his enemies were before he got to Antar. Asim had told Max that Onuris was hiding something, protecting someone and Max wanted to know who. "You will tell me what I want to know."

Onuris looked up into the eyes of his king, his tortured voice begging for mercy, "I cannot tell you anything more sire."

Max carefully kept his face expressionless as he nodded to his men to continue. He had done this before; extracting information was nothing new to him. In the past, he'd personally handled some of the efforts. But this time it was different, he felt regret. He mentally kicked himself for it. If he felt this way over a man who almost killed the one he loved, how would he be able to fight, maybe even kill, people he knew nothing about?

Michael stood at the door watching the men work over Onuris. He shrugged, he never liked him anyway and after what he did to Liz... well, he deserved it. When Max finally turned around, Michael motioned for him to come out into the corridor.

"What?" Max demanded once he had closed the door to the cell.

Michael got straight to the point. "We're ready. The ship is ready."

Max nodded thoughtfully. He had made the decision that when the ship and Michael were ready, they would leave. That time was at hand. Isabel was his sister and a priority – the only thing that should matter was getting her back. However, it wasn't the only thing that mattered to him now. Now his heart was torn between his love for his sister and his love for Liz. Max knew this was a weakness, could see how it hindered what he must do.

Michael waited for an answer impatiently as he watched Max struggle with his demons. He understood that his friend was battling with a newly reawakened conscience, but he needed to know when they would leave. He had to deal with Maria and he couldn't do that without Max's decision. "Well?"

Michael knew when the choice had been made. He watched as Max's demeanor changed back to that of the king they had known and hated over the last few years. The eerie transformation sent a chill down his spine.

Max looked up and coldly replied, "We will leave at dawn."

With that, he turned and walked back to the cell.

Isabel stared down at her food as her captor sat watching her from across the massive table. He had insisted that they have a 'nice' dinner together. She rubbed the new bruise appearing on her arm as she tried to play her part. Just sitting with him made her sick, but being forced to eat with him was cruel and unusual punishment.

"How is your food my dearest?"

She shuddered and forced the bile she tasted back down. Hearing him speak to her like they were some happy couple was almost more than she could take. She wanted nothing more than to stand and throw the food in his face. Knowing this would get her nothing but more abuse, she forced herself to stay composed and merely nodded in response.

"Good." He put his utensil down. "Vilandra, is there anything I can do to make your stay more pleasant?"

"Rip out your tongue for starters," she thought to herself. "Impaling yourself on a rusty spike might be entertaining." But Isabel didn't answer, she just shook her head slightly."

"Vilandra, give me a chance to have your love again."

The sentence was almost a plea. Startled by the change in his voice, she looked into his eyes for the first time. There she saw not the eyes of a maniacal ruler, but something that scared her much worse. She saw in his eyes obsession, a need that defied understanding, and that need was directed towards her. The realization was disquieting.

Alden pointed to a symbol in the book, "And this means pit."

Serena nodded and wrote the word on the paper in front of her.

"Then the next symbol is again Antar or Antarians." He took a sip of his beer and grinned proudly at his accomplishment.

Serena stopped in the middle of what she was writing and started shaking her head, "Nope. Can't be right. If I put it in the same order as before then that passage says that the granilith will be used to remove hair from the pits while Antar falls."

They both chuckled before Alden dropped his head again to study the passage. He looked down at his notes. "I swear this key was working before," he mumbled.

Max hesitated at the door, already questioning his earlier decision. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he steeled himself not to allow his feelings for any of the humans to make him second guess himself, not even the one who completed his soul.

Serena noticed him first. "What's up?"

Max gave Alden a disdainful look and barked, "I need to speak to Serena alone."

Alden, not use to being commanded, almost told Max to go screw himself. When he saw the warning in Serena's eyes, he decided to keep his mouth shut. "No problem. I could use some fresh air and maybe another beer."

Max waited until Alden left the lab before he started, "You can stop."

Serena looked up at him, knowing he was telling her to stop work on the translation. "Michael has figured out how to fly your ship?"

Max nodded, "We're leaving tomorrow before dawn."

Serena started to argue, "You can't. The ship will take weeks to get you back to your planet!" She could hear her voice starting to rise, but she didn't care, this was important. "Alden and I have been working on the translation day and night. We're almost done."

"When! When will you have it done?" he growled. "My sister is up on Antar being subjected to who knows what from a man who killed us all in a past life. I can't risk waiting any longer!"

Serena understood his agitation. If it were someone she loved she would feel the same way, but she still fought him. The granilith was the only way to save some of her friend's pain. "Max you have to understand. The granilith could theoretically get you to Antar in an instant. After you do what it is you need to do on your planet, it could bring you back to the same moment in time you left. You all might be a bit older, but Michael could see his child born, no one would have to suffer the pain of wondering what happened to you. Liz wouldn't have to..."

Max cut her off, "I won't be coming back."

Serena stopped her arguments and looked at Max in awe. "You're not . . .?"

Max looked down, then back up into Serena's eyes, "I have accepted my destiny and whether I like it or not, I will have to stay on Antar, to rebuild, to rule, to keep the peace, to make sure that Antar as well as Earth are not destroyed."

Serena stood silently before whispering, "Did you tell her yet?"

When he didn't answer, Serena's thoughts went immediately to the men she had loved. One had been in and out of her life for years. The other, even if it had been in death, had completely left with no possibility of return. The later, save for one night a year, had always been easier to deal with.

"Max, I understand. I don't like it, but I understand." She looked thoughtful for a moment then continued, "You can't leave her hanging on, you have to end it completely. You have to make sure she understands you won't be back."

Max shook his head sadly, "I will before I leave."

Serena didn't know which of them she hurt for more, Max or Liz. She wanted to wrap them in her arms, she wanted to make it all right for them, but she knew she couldn't.

Max looked as if he might actually shed a tear as he changed the subject, "I need to ask a favor."

Serena nodded thinking that if she could do anything to make this better for them she would.

"I need you to destroy the granilith. Can you do it?"

Her first thought was no, absolutely not, never in a million years. It's too important. But when she looked into his eyes and saw how impassioned he was about this, she decided hear him out. "Why would you want to?"

He turned and stared at the machine towering in the center of the room. "I can't kill anyone, not anymore. When you let the others go, they are going to go back and tell whoever will listen about this. It can't be here when someone comes to investigate. It will be dangerous for everyone involved, especially Maria and the baby."

Serena understood what he was saying, but still didn't agree, "Max you realize you have a lawyer for a brother-in-law don't you?"

Confused Max nodded his head.

"Have you ever heard of a non-disclosure agreement?"

Max acknowledged his understanding, but that wasn't about to change his mind. "You can't force someone to sign one after the fact."

"We can... "

Max silently cut her off, the scientists were only half of it. The other half was much more important to him. He didn't want Serena to get it working because he didn't want the humans to be able to follow them. Although he knew that they probably couldn't use it without one of the royal four, he didn't want to take the chance. The risk was too great after hearing the horror stories that Onuris had finally shared with them.

Serena finally realized he wasn't going to budge and begrudgingly agreed. This was Max's call, not hers.

Michael walked through the door of his and Maria's room to find her lounging on their bed reading some baby book. He stood at the entrance, content with just watching her.

Maria looked up and frowned, "Did you know that I'm going to get a lot fatter these next few months?"

Michael forced a smile, "You'll be beautiful." He walked over to the bed and sat beside her. Laying his hand on her belly, he felt a kick. "Has he been kicking you a lot today?" He heard his voice crack as he asked.

Maria had suspected something was up when she had first seen him in the doorway, but now she knew. "You're leaving, aren't you?"

Michael rubbed his hand over her stomach again and slowly nodded.

Maria sat up and encircled him in her arms. As she did, she felt him start to shake and knew that there were now tears in his eyes. She held him close as her own tears started to flow.

Michael wrapped his arms around her. "I don't want to leave you. I don't want to leave our baby," he choked.

She tightened the embrace, knowing that this night he needed her to be strong. "You'll be back," she said forcefully.

She felt him nod his agreement through their tears, both of them knowing that he must go, but also knowing that their love would see them through. Someday they would be together again but right now, that gave them little comfort so they found it in each other's arms.

Max lay with Liz in his arms one last time. He knew this feeling of contentment was fleeting. That tomorrow he would leave, he would go back to Antar and win or lose, he would never return. If he won this war he had to stay to rebuild, to protect, to make sure this would never happen again and if he lost . . . he couldn't lose, he knew that. Not when Earth was at stake, not when Liz was at stake.

He pulled her closer, saddened that he had found this peace only before his death. Maybe not his physical death, but tomorrow he would be dead to himself, to this world and to Liz. He looked down at her sleeping. She was still everything he wanted, everything he needed, everything that made him human. He wished he could be that for her, but he knew that for her to have a normal life, he had to be something else.

"What's so great about normal?" He asked himself as he had years before. His answer then had been nothing, but now it had changed, now the answer was everything. Normal meant she could live without fear.

He pushed her hair from her eyes and looked once again into the face of the only woman he had ever or would ever love. He pulled her towards him and gently kissed her lips, savoring the touch.

Max closed his eyes, not to sleep, sleep would come later. No, he closed his eyes to remember, to heighten his other senses so he could treasure this moment in his mind. He tasted the sweetness of her lips, inhaled the fruity scent of her hair, felt the silky softness of her skin, and heard the quiet echo of her sigh. He imprinted in his mind the exact temperature of her breath on his neck as she exhaled and the way her heart felt beating against his chest.

He closed his eyes so that in two days or fifty years, when death was upon him and he was alone, he would be able to remember this moment with absolute clarity, remember the love, remember the peace, and remember her... remember his salvation.

Part 24b

Serena rolled over to find Michael standing over her. "What?" She asked as she sat up on her bed.

"I need a favor."

Not one to appreciate being awakened early, especially two days in a row, she almost rolled her eyes and spouted some smart ass remark but stopped herself. This was a hard day for all of them; they didn't need attitude to go with it. "What kind of favor?"

Michael sighed. "Take care of Maria and the baby. Take them to New Orleans or somewhere safe until I come back. I know she thinks that she doesn't need anyone to take care of her and you probably agree but, with me gone and the baby coming . . . "

Serena stopped him. "I understand."

He didn't think she did, at least not completely. "The baby could be alien."

"I know. If it's not a delivery I can handle, I have friend that won't ask questions. She will be fine."

Serena stood as Michael put his arms around her, giving her a big bear hug. "Thank you. You have been a great friend these last few months."

Serena hugged him tightly, feeling as if at any moment one of them might start to cry.

Michael, not one to get overemotional with anyone except Maria, pushed her back. "I really am sorry that I drugged you."

Serena grinned. "That's ok pharmacy man. I've forgiven you."

Michael smiled back. "Thank you." He said again then walked out the door.

Max found Langley by the ship, making the necessary preparations for the trip. "Is Onirus on the ship yet?"

Langley nodded.

"And Asim?"

Langley frowned as he looked at his leader. "There isn't enough room."

Max's face looked like it might explode. "And you're just telling me this now!"

"I'm sorry sir. I thought that we could put them both on if we got rid of some of the extra weight, but it did not work. I believe that Asim does not constitute the same threat as Onirus, so I made a choice."

Max didn't like it. He didn't want to leave either of the traitors behind. "Can Michael fly this ship alone?"

Langley nodded slowly, knowing that his time on Earth was about to be extended. "Yes sir, he can."

"Good." He knew Langley would not like his new order but it was necessary. "You will remain on Earth and keep the humans safe until my sister and Michael return."

It only rains a few days a year in the desert and today would be one of those days. Max watched the rain as he tried to gather the resolve to do what he believed must be done. He loved her, he always would, he knew that, but today he would leave, and he had to make it easier for her to move on. "I love you Elizabeth Parker." He whispered.

"What?"

Max tensed upon hearing her voice. He had been sure she was still asleep. Hoping that she had not heard his silent profession of love, Max shook his head while he stared out the window for another moment before he turned towards her. It was time. "We need to talk."

Something was very wrong. If his face hadn't given it away, then the way he spoke the words would have. She sat up swinging her legs over the side of the bed. She should have known as soon as she saw him. He was never there when she woke up. She looked up at him and nodded slowly.

Knowing that he would not be able to do this if he got too close, Max stayed on the other side of the room. "I'm leaving today." He started.

She had prepared herself for this since they found out what happened to Isabel. She looked at him with steady eyes. "I'm going with you."

"No you aren't."

She started to argue but he stopped her before she had the chance. "It's not safe for you. Not just because there is a war - but because you are human. We don't know if you could survive."

"You have human DNA Max. If you can survive, I can."

"I have alien DNA too." He knew he couldn't continue this lie for long. He loved her too much for that. He knew for a fact that she could survive on Antar. He had seen it in her mind. She had already survived there. "You will not be going – that's final." He stopped for a moment then added, "There isn't enough space on the ship for you anyway."

Believing that he could be right, she had no argument. She looked back at him and forced a smile. Sure, it was hard to see the one you love go off to fight a war but she had hope. Hope that he would be safe, that he would complete what he needed to and he would come back to her. Hope would have to be enough. "I understand. I will miss you Max. I lo . . . "

"No." He cut her off before she could say the words he didn't need to hear. "You don't understand Liz. I won't be coming back." He paused, gathering strength. "Even if we get Isabel back, even if we win the war, I won't be coming back to Earth."

Her face fell as she tried to fight the tears. "But . . . Max . . ." She couldn't continue, not without the dam breaking.

He walked over to her and, without looking into her eyes; he brushed the back of his hand across her cheek. "I wanted to tell you . . ."

He didn't continue. He couldn't continue. He wanted to tell her how sorry he was. Sorry for bringing her here, for believing that she had betrayed him, for being as bad as the alien who had taken years away from her. He wanted to tell her he hadn't meant to get Alex killed, tell her he was sorry for not being able to save him.

He wanted to tell her how much he regretted that knowing him had caused her so much pain and suffering, but he kept this all to himself. Not because he did not feel the anguish of the mistakes he had made, but because saying so might give her hope and he couldn't allow her to have hope – not for him.

"Forget me Liz. Have a good life, fall in love with someone worthy of you, have children, grow old, be happy."

She shook her head, the tears beginning to fall.

Max knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't stop himself. He cradled her face in his hands, knelt down and kissed the salty tears from her eyes.

A knock prevented him from going farther; from making a bigger mistake. He brushed his lips to hers, then crossed the room and opened the door to find Langley. "The ship is ready, sir."

Max nodded as Langley walked away.

Max turned but didn't walk back over to her. "I have to go." He said before he walked through the door, leaving her alone with her tears.

No words needed to be spoken; words were for the poets and songwriters. No, Michael and Maria just held each other through the morning, drawing their strength from the other. Langley had just come to say it was time but they still held on, not wanting to let the other go.

Finally, knowing he couldn't put this off any longer, he bent just a bit and softly kissed her lips. "I love you Maria." He said when they broke apart.

She smiled through her tears, keeping in mind Max's promise. He would be back. "I love you, Spaceboy."

The old nickname made them smile lost in bittersweet memories. Michael touched her cheek on last time. "Promise me you won't name that baby anything too crazy - like Michael Junior."

Maria looked up with a gleam in her eye. "You know I can't promise that, but I promise that a normal person will be able to spell it."

Max looked at Michael curiously as Michael walked alone towards the ship.

"She's not coming out. We've said our goodbyes."

Realizing that the scene might get quite emotional and Michael was not one to show emotion, Max nodded his understanding.

Jesse walked over to the ship, with a duffle in his hand.

"What the hell are you doing?" Max demanded.

Jesse looked at him, determination in his eyes. "I'm going with you."

"The hell you are."

"She's MY wife!" Jesse shot back.

"And my sister." He knew that would not be good enough. "Jesse, we don't know if humans can even breathe there. If you get on that ship you could just as well commit suicide."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take."

Max turned away from him. "Well, I'm not and it's my decision."

Jesse grabbed Max's shoulder and repeated, "She's my wife, Max."

Max glared at him. "Jesse, I know you love her and contrary to everyone's belief, I love her too. I want to get her back, but I don't know what Khivar has put her through. _When_ we save her, she may need you and your love to get her past this. If you die you won't be able to help her." He knew he was getting through. "I promise if you stay here I will get her back to you." He had been making a lot of promises lately and he just hoped he could keep them.

Jesse finally relented and stepped away from the craft. Max placed his hand on the ship and the small hatch opened. Ava was the first to ascend, followed by Michael. Max looked longingly, one last time at the desert sky, and then started to climb into the craft.

"Max!" He heard his name over the thunder. He hesitated for a moment, then moved towards the door once again.

"Max! Please!" She yelled again, knowing, as she did when she decided to go after him that this moment was their last chance.

He knew he shouldn't. They had already said all they needed to say. He knew he should just get onto the ship, close the door and disappear, but he didn't. He stopped and turned around.

Liz stood before him as he did. She took his hand in hers, almost willing him to just stay. "Max, please."

He didn't look into her eyes. He knew if he did, he would never be able to stay strong. He focused on the rock behind her.

"Max don't leave like this. Please tell me you'll come back." She knew she needed something from him to see her through. If he left now, the way it was, he would never come back. She would never see him again.

He continued to stare, knowing that words would be the end of his strength.

She ignored his coldness, knowing it was a front. "I will always love you . . . always." She choked out.

He closed his eyes, strengthening his resolve, pushing the tears away. He had to stay strong for a few more minutes. If he didn't, then it would all be for nothing. He basked in her love for just a moment more before he opened his eyes forcing himself to look straight into hers and say coldly, "Love someone else."

With those words, the dam broke and tears streamed down her face. "Max?"

He shook his head, knowing he had to be strong. He turned around and entered the ship. As the door closed, Max nodded to Michael that it was time to leave, then collapsed on the floor and started to weep.

She watched as the ship flew up into the sky and eventually disappeared, all the while yelling behind it. "MAX!" But it was too late; Max was gone and they were both alone again.

Musical thought . . .

A Verse of _At This Moment_ by Billy Vera and the Beaters that just kept going through my head.

What do you think  
I would give at this moment  
If you'd stay  
I'd subtract twenty years from my life  
I'd fall down on my knees  
and kiss the ground that you walk on  
If I could just hold you again

Part 25

"Come on Boo. You have to get out of this rain." Serena said as she and Maria wrapped their arms around Liz, lifting her from the wet ground to lead her inside the house.

Back in Maria's room, Liz sat on the bed, staring blankly at the wall while tears streamed down her face. Maria dried Liz's hair with a towel, while Serena found her a warm robe. She handed it to Liz. "You need to change, Boo."

Maria took the robe from Serena so she could help Liz change.

Serena watched in silence. Knowing that the two friends had a past that she was not a part of, she decided to leave them alone. She knew they had both said goodbye to the ones they loved today, that both were in pain and that the only difference was Maria had hope. "Are you alright?" She asked Maria, making sure they knew she was more than willing to stay, but wanting to give them an opportunity, in their grief to commiserate alone.

"We're fine." Maria said softly as she nodded her thanks to Serena.

Serena forced a half smile. "I'll be close if you need me."

Maria nodded and Serena walked from the room to find Jesse. She needed to speak to him before completing the task that Max had entrusted her with.

Maria ran a brush through Liz's hair. "They will be back." She whispered, trying to sooth both her and Liz's fears.

Liz could hear Maria but didn't bother to argue. Responding to the statement wouldn't have changed anything. Instead she sat paralyzed on the bed, willing herself to feel nothing – nothing except the tears that ran down her cheeks.

Serena walked down the hall to the room where she guessed Jesse might occupy. Opening the door she found the man sitting on the floor in the corner of the room alone looking defeated. She squatted before him and put her hand on his arm. "Can I do something for you?" She asked softly.

Jesse shook his head trying to cover the tears he had shed. "I just want to do something – to help. I should have gone with them." His hands went back to his eyes as he whispered, "She's my wife."

Serena understood the feeling of helplessness too well. "Do you want to tell me about her?"

Jesse didn't want to share his pain by talking about Isabel. Instead he lifted the hand that had been concealed and handed Serena a picture of Isabel on their wedding day that he had always kept with him.

Serena took the picture and studied it. Surprised to find that she remembered this girl from years before in New Orleans. She almost smiled at the coincidence but stopped herself. Partly because she remembered the girl alone not with her husband and partly because she wasn't sure how much of all this was actually coincidence anymore. She remembered Liz saying that they had met in an alternate life, that she had already figured out the granilith once before. That on its own was strange, add her meeting Isabel – well who knew how much of her involvement was predestined and how much was chance. Finally, she handed the picture back to Jesse. "She's beautiful."

He smiled a forced smile and nodded his head but offered no more.

Finally she determined that talking would not help the man but maybe what she had come to ask would. She was going to destroy the granilith but it would still be wise, just in case, if the few remaining scientists could be convinced to sign a non-disclosure agreement. "Jesse, I know you are hurting so if you don't feel up to it, let me know, but I have something you could help me with and maybe in the process help your friends, alien and human, alike.

Isabel sat in her place at the large table, waiting for her captor as she did every night. It seemed like it had been weeks, but she was no longer sure time moved the same as it did on Earth. She looked over at the time piece. He was late. She didn't know why she cared that he was, but she did.

Maybe it was because he was the only one who would speak to her, even look at her. The slaves he kept where loyal subjects of the crown and saw her as the betrayer, the sole reason their cause had been lost. The servants of the house, loyal to Khivar, had been kind and helpful at first. They had treated her as their saviors beloved, but she had learned that Khivar had been displeased, believing their actions inappropriate. Those servants had been replaced by ones that would not speak except to answer simple questions.

Basically, she was alone, relying on the whims of a man who kept her against her will. She looked at the timepiece again. She was starting to get hungry. She milled over some of what Khivar had told her these last days. He had told her that her father had been a mad man, killing peasants for the smallest of crimes. That she had joined him at first because she had believed that change was necessary. That their love had been a wonderful (at least in Khivar's words) byproduct of the shared goal.

She had tried to tune out his voice when he spoke of her family in such a way. She would not believe him, but some of his words had seeped through and she had begun to ask questions in her mind. For instance, knowing the tyrant that Max had become even after being raised by Philip and Diane Evans, wasn't it possible that their biological father would have the same faults and why would so many follow Khivar if they had not believed they were being mistreated?

Isabel sat up straight and put on her stone face when she heard the door open behind her. Khivar walked to the table, taking her hand in his, he urged her to stand. "I am sorry you had to wait, my dearest and I know that you must be hungry but if you will indulge me I have a surprise for you." He took her arm and threaded it into his leading her out of the door.

Isabel feelings seesawed between the fear of going somewhere unknown with this man and the excitement of finally being allowed to leave her small prison.

Serena looked at her watch. It was late. She had spent the afternoon helping Jesse convince the remaining scientists to sign the non-disclosure agreement. At first it had been slow going but now, after hours of persuasion and dipping into her personal fortune they seemed to have everyone in one accord. The only thing left to be done was for Jesse to draw up the papers and have each of them sign.

"Then we can leave?" One of the scientists questioned.

Serena nodded. "Tomorrow – yes, but just so you understand, you will be able to leave whether you sign the agreement or not." She wanted them to realize that signing the paper was their choice. If they felt it wasn't then they would not feel bound to the agreement. Of course she was pretty much buying them off – she knew that – but if that's what it took for Liz, Jesse, Maria and the unborn baby to be safer then that was what she would do.

Another scientist spoke up. "When will we get our money?"

Serena didn't exactly have a checkbook on her – she had been abducted but she was pretty sure she could get the funds wired tomorrow. "I will go into Roswell tomorrow and hopefully be able to cut checks for you by tomorrow evening."

Serena looked around the room, waiting for anymore questions but they all seemed to be satisfied. She looked over at Jesse. "You can handle this from here?" She asked.

"No problem." He answered content for the moment to have something to keep his mind occupied.

Serena smiled, satisfied to have helped him, at least a little. "See you later." She mumbled and took off, out the door to the cave."

Langley sat in the distance, watching the setting sun. Antar, with its two suns, went complete seasons without darkness making night a novelty to most Antarians; a novelty that Langley still enjoyed even after his many years on Earth.

His appreciation of the Earth and it's cycles did not cause him to miss home any less. He thought of the friends and family he had left behind, knowing how Khivar would punish them if he discovered Langley's part in helping the royals. Langley missed them but now he just hoped that his loved ones were still alive.

Looking towards the complex, Langley forced thoughts of Antar from his mind. Earlier, he had watched the humans move from the cave to the house. It angered him since Max would never have allowed them there. But he hadn't been surprised. Humans were weak and given the chance to take over more comfortable quarters they would. Now as he scanned the area he noticed that the Antarians were leaving too. "What is going on?" He asked himself. He had hoped to keep his presence a secret, at least for a while, but now, wondering what was going on, he stood up and headed back towards the house

"What are you doing in here?" Serena asked Alden as she entered the chamber that contained the granilith.

Alden shrugged. "I'm just looking at the symbols on the granilith. I was sure they would help me figure out this damn thing."

Serena waited but when Alden didn't continue, she began to get frustrated. "WELL, did they!"

Alden shrugged and took a drink of the beer he had in his hand. "I'm not sure. I think so. I have to check something first."

"Don't bother."

Alden raised an eyebrow. "Don't bother?"

Serena opened the box that contained the crystal key. "I promised Max I would destroy it once he was gone."

Alden, not able to believe his ears, actually put down his beer. It was so unlike Serena to give up on anything; she was too driven, well actually stubborn, maybe even obsessed. If she promised to destroy the granilith, that was what she was doing.

Before Alden could argue, Serena explained, "It's Max's decision. Not mine."

"How the hell are you going to destroy it? We don't even know exactly how it works."

"I don't have to know. I know the theory of it all, I can overload it. It will cause a bit of an explosion but in the cave, it should be contained."

Alden didn't like what he was hearing. "Should be? You don't sound too sure."

"Well, I've made sure all the occupants of the cave went up to the house. It will be safe for them there."

Nervously Alden asked, "And what about you?"

Serena rolled her eyes. "I'll be fine. I'll have plenty of time to get out."

"NO!" Alden shook his head profusely. "I'm not letting you do it Ser."

"How exactly do you plan on stopping me?" Serena asked putting her hands on her hips.

Visions of him picking her up and dragging her away screaming and kicking went through his head. It would serve her ass right. He thought to himself.

Serena continued. "I'll be fine, just get to the house, I'll be there as soon as I can."

Alden took a deep breath. He reminded himself that they respected each other and their decisions. He also knew that once Serena set her mind to something - nothing would keep her from it. Unless something changed her mind, she would eventually destroy the granilith or die trying. It was better for him to stay and help. To make sure that she made it out alive.

Alden let out a quick breath. "I'll stay and help." He noticed her beginning to argue but cut her off. "If it's safe then there's no reason I shouldn't stay and help and if it's not - well - let's just say, it won't be the first time someone has locked your ass up to keep you safe." He smiled and winked at her, hoping to soften her a bit.

It worked. Serena sighed loudly showing her annoyance, but nodded her agreement.

Isabel sat on the tarp that Khivar, trying to mimic the human custom of a picnic, had put down. He had explained to her that he had heard of it through some of his followers whom he had sent to Earth. When she asked about his need to have his soldiers on Earth he tried again to justify his actions.

"But, my dearest, I must admit that the main objective of my servants was to find you." Khivar looked almost ashamed by his admission.

Isabel looked up at him defiantly. "Really? You want me to believe that you loved me so much that you sent your slaves to find me and my family and kill us." She gave a haughty sneer.

Khivar reached for her face, but she turned away. "They were under orders not to kill you."

"But Max, Michael, Tess?"

"Zan, Rath and Ava were part of the government that we . . . that you swore to demolish. It was necessary so they . . . the government could not come back."

"And what about Nicholas and his mind rape? He tried to . . . to me . . . Did you love me so much. . ."

He looked her in the eyes. "If it was necessary he did have my permission." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Vilandra there was a time when you would have expected no less from him or me. A time when you would have insisted that I use any means to get the information to free your people."

She stood up and walked a few feet away from him. She didn't want to hear what she use to be."

Khivar stood and followed, finally reaching her, he grabbed her shoulders making her stop.

Isabel grimaced, knowing there would be fresh bruises. In the beginning she had thought he had meant to hurt her but now she knew that he did not understand his physical strength. The Antarians did not need the physical when the mental was so strong.

Khivar was learning to read her human emotions and upon seeing her discomfort, he loosened his grip. "Vilandra please understand." He pleaded as he raised one hand to the side of her face and traced her ear with one of his fingers.

Isabel shivered at the first caring touch she had allowed from him. She looked into his eyes and a flash went through her mind. It wasn't a flash like the connection she once shared with her first love but in that touch, her senses came alive. It was if she could remember the past life she had. She remembered the smells, the tastes, the way her eyes would get disoriented when the suns were both low at mid dusk. She remembered Khivar. For a moment she caught, in the most human of ways, a fleeting glimpse of why she had betrayed her family for him.

It hadn't been a love like Alex; that wonderful, first love that had made her heart soar. Nor had it been a love like she shared with Jesse, a mature love where her mind was at peace. No - this love had been something else, something that she couldn't or didn't want to understand. It might have even been less then love, more like an unhealthy obsession aimed at the one man, who in her last life, she could not have. She knew as she stood staring into his dark eyes, unable to move, unable to breath, that this passion had controlled her very soul as if she had sold it to Satan himself.

She pulled away as she regained her senses, looking defiantly at the devil's face. A smirk crossed his lips as he realized what had happened. How dare he? She wondered as she raised her hand to slap the smirk away.

He had seen it coming and grabbed a hold of her wrist. "My dearest Vilandra, just because you don't like what you see - does not mean it is untrue."

She twisted her wrist out of his grip, pushing herself away from him. She kept hearing Vanessa Whitaker's voice. "History is bound to repeat itself." It wouldn't. Not if there was a way that Isabel could stop it.

Max pulled himself off the floor, knowing that showing his anguish helped no one. It was time to harden his heart again, accept his responsibility and be the king he was born to be. He walked over to the control area where Michael and Ava stood, looking out the large window.

Ava had been the one most surprised by Max's breakdown and now, with him standing beside her, was uncomfortable. What was she suppose to do? She didn't know when her feelings had changed towards him but over the last few months, they had. She had always respected him and in some small way, maybe because he was her kind, maybe because of his resemblance to Zan, loved him but now her feelings went much deeper. She cared about him - all of him, his feelings and his well being. She felt he was a friend. And now her friend was in pain and she didn't know how to help him so she just stood next to him, hoping that some of her strength would find its way to him.

Michael stood on the other side of Max and pointed sadly. "That's Earth."

Max peered out the window focusing on the blue and white sphere that kept getting smaller and smaller, finally becoming just another light in the sky. Max knew it was time for him to be strong for all of them. He rested a hand on the other's shoulders. "We will see it again."

He knew it wasn't the right time to tell them the truth. That he would never see Earth again.

Part 26

"Hey there Frank," Kyle said, greeting his long lost neighbor. "How's Europe?"

Frank turned and shook Kyle's hand. "Pretty good but glad to be back."

"We're gonna have to go out for a drink soon."

Frank raised his eyebrows. "If you have the time."

"What are you talking about? I always have time for my friends."

"What would that little brunette think about that?"

Confusion passed over Kyle's face. "Brunette?"

"Cute girl about yea high," Frank lifted his hand showing her height, "brown hair and eyes. You were with her at the Crashdown the morning I left town. Said she was an old friend from high school but I thought there might be more." Frank shrugged. "Guess not."

Kyle didn't like what he was hearing but passed it off. "Oh yeah. No – nothing more than friends."

"Well then, how about tonight. We could go meet the guys at that new sport's bar."

Kyle shook his head. "Sorry Frank. I can't tonight . . . in fact, I just remembered the boss might need me to go out of town this week. I will definitely call you when I get back though."

Frank nodded. "No problem but I might go over there anyway, so if you stay around call me on my cell."

"Yeah – will do. Well, gotta get going. Good to have you back buddy."

Frank smiled and disappeared into his apartment. Kyle walked back to his, went in and shut the door.

Langley entered the house to find a few of the Antarian guards standing watch by the door. Dismissing them as they saluted, signaling their allegiance to Antar and to him as their superior, he got right to the point. "What is going on?" He demanded.

One of the ranking guards stepped forward. "The human scientist commanded us to leave the cave."

"And you did?" Langley asked in disbelief.

The guard nodded. "His majesty left orders that we were to obey her."

Langley's first instinct was to discipline the guard immediately; believing that obedience to a human was one order that these men should not have obeyed. "Tell me - what is she doing in the cave?"

"Sir, I believe she means to destroy the granilith."

Langley stopped for a moment staring at the guard in disbelief, the granilith was too important to Antar to allow anyone, even the king himself, to destroy it. The Antarians should know that! But he kept his anger in check, instead he turned back through the door and headed to the cave, that human would not destroy the granilith as long as he still lived.

"Vilandra – please stop!"

Isabel ignored Khivar's words as she ran up the stairs and through the doorway of her room, barring the door behind her.

The door rattled as he attempted to open it. She knew that eventually he would get in if he really wanted to but still she prayed that he would give up and leave her be.

"Vilandra." His voice pled from the other side of the door.

"My name is Isabel." She said defiantly. "I am not the person you use to know."

For a few moments, she heard nothing. She turned towards the door, almost making the mistake of opening it but then she heard his voice.

Not wanting to scare her, not wanting her to close up to him again, the silence had just been a chance for him to collect his thoughts. "I know you felt it. The passion we shared, the need we had for one another. Do not deny it Vila . . . Isabel." He placed his hand on the outside of the door; he knew that she stood behind it, listening. "I loved you. You loved me. If you would just give that feeling a chance again . . . " He stopped. Vilandra had never acted purely on emotion. She always had to weigh her feelings against her mind and soul. "Just think about it. Remember."

Seconds later, Isabel relaxed a bit, hearing his footsteps as he walked away, leaving her with the disturbing knowledge that once, even if it was in her past life, she had cared for him.

Alden stood near the granilith, watching the lights as Serena instructed. "Red, amber, off, red again."

Serena looked up. "Are you sure?"

Alden nodded, waited and then, after a few moments of silence asked. "Do you have enough money to pay off the scientists?"

Serena stared ahead at the panel in front of her. "I'm fine." She held up her hand, signaling him to be quiet for a moment. "Tell it to me again."

"Red, amber, off, red again." He watched as she nodded then asked again. "Fine?"

Serena walked over to where he stood and looked at the lights again.

"Ser?"

Serena looked directly at him wanting to put an end to his questions. "I put the house on the market."

Alden was noticeably stunned. "The house? You can't mean it! You love that house! It's been in your family almost two hundred years."

She shrugged. "It's just a 'thing'. Maybe someday I'll get it back." Although, she believed selling the house was worth it she still didn't want to discuss it. It still hurt. "It's already done." Walking back to the other side of the granilith, she asked him to repeat the sequence again.

"Red, amber, blue, off, red again."

Serena nodded as he said each; she placed the key into the slot.

The dream had returned. Only now, it was slightly different. The terror still consumed her and the man with the eyes still came to ease her fears. But that man – the man who she now knew was Max Evans would still vanish and leave her with the terror.

"NO! Don't go!" Liz cried out, sitting up in the bed where she and Maria had finally fallen asleep.

With her extra weight, Maria wasn't as quick to get up. "Liz? Are you alright?" She touched Liz's arm. "What's the matter?"

The vision Liz got from the touch was brief.

_Maria lay on a bed bleeding uncontrollably while Serena ran around her, doing all she could to keep Maria alive. Liz looked down in her arms where a new baby laid. She pulled the blanket back to find the child blue from lack of oxygen. She reached down to touch its sweet face, to find that it already deadly cold. _

_Maria wailed. "Not me! The baby! Save my baby!"_

_Serena looked helplessly up at Liz, signaling that nothing could be done for the baby or for Maria. _

Liz pushed Maria's hand away stopping the vision.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Maria asked.

Dazed by what she had just seen Liz didn't answer right away.

"Liz? Are you ok?"

Liz made herself speak. "The dream . . . yeah I'm fine. I just need to go take a walk and clear my head."

Maria tried to stifle a yawn. "Want some company?"

Shaking her head Liz answered, "No . . . no . . . you need to get your sleep. You have a baby you need to take care of. "Forcing herself to smile as she finished.

Maria was worried but nodded her agreement. Their friendship wasn't what it used to be. She would have to give Liz her space and she did need sleep.

Liz just wanted to find Serena and talk to her about what she had just seen.

"What the hell are you doing?" Langley asked as he entered the room.

Alden looked up at the alien but Serena never took her eyes off the panel. "Max wanted it destroyed." She answered.

Langley raised his hand forming an energy blast that caused Serena to fly across the room and land with a hard thump. Alden took a step towards Langley but another blast landed Alden on top of Serena. "Fuck!" Alden yelled as he landed. He looked down at Serena, seeing if she was hurt. Serena's eyes were opened but she seemed to be in shock. Langley lifted his hand once again. "You will not destroy the granilith - it means too much to my people."

Alden watched as Langley was lifted from his position and thrown to the opposite side of the room. His gaze shifted towards the entrance of the room where Liz stood with blood in her eyes.

"Stay away from them!" She yelled.

Langley jumped up into a defensive position, ready to blast the human. But as he looked into her eyes he realized that she was much stronger then he, almost as strong as the king himself. But even with this revelation, Langley only had one goal in mind. "Without the granilith . . ."

"Shut UP!" Liz growled while holding him at bay. She crossed the room to see how her friends fared. "Are you all ok?"

Alden nodded as he rolled off of Serena and held out a hand for her. When she didn't move he knelt by her side. "Sera . . .Sera! . . . SERA!" He repeated over and over again, worried that she did not respond.

Serena stared towards Alden for a few more moments watching as he became more and more frantic before she began to laugh.

"Dammit Ser!" Alden offered his hand to help her up.

Smiling, Serena took his hand, pulling herself off the floor. Her attention almost immediately shifted towards the granilith and with her eyes focused on the machine all laughter left her. "We have to get out of here NOW!"

Alden had forgotten until that moment that they had already begun the destruction of the granilith. He grabbed Serena's hand and pulled her towards the door.

Serena yelled towards Liz. "Come on! The granilith – it's going to explode!"

Liz realized at that moment that the granilith was the answer. If Serena could make it work, they could use it to get a message to Max. Max could save Maria and her baby. Instead of following her friend, she started to yell. "You have to stop it! Maria . . . baby! It's important!" Liz pleaded.

Serena shook her head. "I can't."

"I CAN!" Langley yelled from the corner where Liz held him at bay.

Liz looked at Langley, then back at Serena before dropping her hand and allowing Langley to do what he could.

Langley ran over to the control panel and reached for the key.

The three humans watched as Langley changed his appearance to a metallic liquid state. The liquid covered the control panel.

A blinding light encompassed the figure forcing the three humans to look away. Liz felt the power surround her first - she brought up a shield around her and her friends shielding them from what was happening.

Minutes later, Alden was the first to find his voice. "HOLY SHIT! What the hell was that?"

Serena walked to the figure that now lay beside the granilith. Langley had changed back into his human form for a moment, then as Serena bent down to touch him, he turned into a pile of dust.

Liz looked on in awe. "He knew it would kill him."

"The damn thing must be pretty important to him – to his people." Serena commented under her breath. Then looking to Liz she asked, "But why is it important to you?"

Out of breath from the excitement, Liz answered. "I had a vision. Maria and the baby. They won't survive. Max – if we can get a message to him – if we can get him to come back or if she can go there . . . He can save her."

Serena nodded then noticed the rod that lay on the ground next to where Langley's body had been. Picking it up, she turned to the others. "Guess we are going to need this then." Serena handed the key to Liz and mumbled to Alden under her breath. "Finish the translation."

Guessing her intentions, Alden grabbed her hand. "Sera, you can't keep them."

She pulled her hand from him. "I can. Everyone has their price."

Kyle's first thought was to go back to the Crashdown but if his memory had been erased by aliens then it stood to reason that the Parker's would have no memory of their daughter being in Roswell either. No, what he needed to do was something he swore he would never do again. He needed to involve his dad.

Calling his father was a problem for Kyle. Max and his alien army had only caused pain and destruction in his father's life but he knew that his dad knew more about where the aliens were then he did, at least these last few years. There were times when Max had still needed his father even though he was human.

Kyle knew out of respect for him and the loss he had endured when Tracy died, his dad never spoke to him about his alien involvements but that hadn't stopped him from helping and it hadn't kept Kyle from knowing that he was. Kyle understood his father's position even if he didn't agree. Max Evans had saved his son's life and that was a debt that Jim would never forget or stop repaying.

After almost an hour of debate with himself, Kyle finally picked up the phone and dialed the number.

"Yeah." Came the voice after five full rings.

"Hey dad . . . I have a problem." He paused drawing a long breath. "One of the extra-terrestrial kind."

Finally able to walk and clear her mind, Liz tromped through the desert until she came upon a rock that marked the place where Max had gotten into that 'damn' ship less then 14 hours before and with that action ripped her heart in two one final time. She looked up at the stars wondering how far from Earth he now was. The more time that passed the more real his leaving became. And that reality drove home his final words. "Love someone else."

Remembering those words started the flow of tears once more. Of course, she thought, how could she have expected more? After being apart for all those years – a few months could not bring back the love they had once shared, at least not how it had been. Her rational side understood that he didn't owe her any more but that part of her soul, the part that belonged only to him asked why he would just leave like that. That he could deny that part of himself – that part she knew still existed – that part that belonged to her – without a second thought.

Later, after the tears had dried, the anger began to creep up on her. It wasn't as if she didn't understand him needing to save his sister. Liz would expect nothing less from the man she loved, but to tell her that he would not return... and now Maria and the baby... How could they leave her friend like that – in the condition she was in? Hadn't they known that there was a possibility of complications? That something awful could happen?

"Damn Antar and damn Max Evans."

Lying on his bed, the man stared at the old photograph. The paper yellowed with time, the edges singed, probably from the war. The face that gazed back at him was not the same as the face he fell in love with but he could see beyond that. This girl had the soul of his Isabel.

Although he didn't require as much sleep now that he had been transformed, Alex closed his eyes, trying to find the dream plane. Since discovering her presence on Antar he had spent all of his nights and most of his days trying to find her one way or another; knowing she was safe was the only thing that mattered to him. But thanks to her 'mother', his search heeded no results.

"Isabel." He pleaded softly. "Help me find you."

Part 27

Serena kicked the granilith. "Fuck it!"

Alden looked up over the top of the alien's book, raising his eyebrows a bit at Serena's outburst. He had learned over the last few weeks that asking too many questions while she worked would only direct wrath towards him, though he suspected that this time, keeping quiet would not spare him.

"What the HELL are you looking at?" she barked.

Alden shrugged. "Just making sure you were alright."

"NO! I am NOT fucking alright!" Serena seethed. "Maria and her baby are living on borrowed time and now we have this translation of the book that tells us exactly how to operate the damn thing and even though I follow the directions word for word I can't get it to fucking work right!"

Alden cringed – not because of her anger, that he could handle, but because of her fear. He rarely saw Serena scared and that bothered him. She had actually become insecure in her abilities. His concern prompted him to stand up and walk over to her, despite her fury. He wrapped his arms around her and gently pulled her to him. Even as she tried to push him away, he tucked her head under his chin and held her. "Ser baby," he soothed, "we will make it work."

Tears formed in Serena's eyes. "Nothing we are doing is changing anything. Liz's visions all tell us one thing. Nothing we have done is going to make a damn bit of difference. Maria still dies – the baby still dies."

He rubbed her back, trying to ease her fears. "Then we have to do something else."

She looked up at him defeated. "I don't know what else to do."

"Call Erica." When she started to protest he added, "I don't think you have a choice."

Serena nodded and pushed herself out of his grasp. "I will in the morning." She looked up at the granilith then back at her friend. "She won't tell anyone?"

Determined to calm her fears he shook his head. "She won't."

Feeling a little better from Alden's assurance, she looked back at the granilith. "Bon-temps fait crapaud manqué bounda."

"Idleness leaves the frogs without buttocks?" He tried to stifle a chuckle, but it found its way out. "Why can't you just say let's get back to work?"

Isabel lay down on her bed forcing herself to close her eyes; to try and get some much needed rest. Fleeting thoughts of Jesse raced through her mind. She prayed he was alive and well, that he would let Max handle her situation. "Well, that is if Max even cares," she thought. "He's probably just happy that I now reside on Antar."

As sleep crept upon her and control of her thoughts started to leave, visions of Khivar replaced Jesse. Over the past few weeks Khivar had worn her down. In spite of her better judgment, she had begun to let her guard down. She would listen as he tried to convince her of her father's and then her brother's tyranny. She would let him touch her softly and with those touches, passion filled memories seemed to return.

When sleep finally came so did her dreams. It was always the same dream...

_She's frightened by a storm that is blowing over the hills of Antar. Khivar lies beside her murmuring words of comfort in her ear. She snuggles beside him feeling the warmth of his strong body next to hers. She lifts her face to his as he bends to meet her lips. "You will always be mine." He whispers. "I will never let you go." _

_As the dream continues, another voice whispers her name. _

"_Isabel." _

_This has happened before but she has always ignored it. But this time she raises her head above Khivar's body and peers into the darkness. "Who's there?"_

"_Isabel." _

_She pulls away from the man who lay with her in her dream to get out of the bed. Walking towards the voice she asks again, "Who's there?"_

"_Isabel."_

_Following the voice to the far corner of the room, her eyes adjust immediately to the darkness. "Alex?"_

_He reaches out to her, pushing a tendril of her hair off her face. "Don't trust him."_

_Isabel looks over at the bed. Khivar is still there; this is still a dream. She looks back at Alex. "You're dead."_

_Hundreds of miles away, Alex lies in his room, wondering what to say next. Of course she would believe that – he was dead – at least to her. He knew that he had to do something, that she wouldn't heed his warning unless she believed he was real. _

"_I am not dead, I was reborn. You have to believe me." He pleads. "Please Isabel don't trust him." He reaches for her hand, willing her to believe. _

_Tears glistened in Isabel's eyes. She wanted to believe that Alex was actually there but years of dreamwalking others only serves to convince her that only in her dreams could Alex still exist. _

_Seeing her disbelief, Alex tries once more. "Don't trust in him Isabel." _

_She hears Khivar's voice calling to her, first from the bed and then from a place unknown. Turning towards his voice, she knows she must leave. She looks over at Alex one last time. _

_Disappearing from her dream Alex whispers his last words. "Trust in me." _

Liz always dreaded this. Since the first vision, Liz avoided touching Maria as much as she could. But just as she had every few days since her first vision, Serena had asked her to. Strengthening her resolve, she marched into the kitchen where Maria sat eating determined to find out if Maria's future had been changed.

Cassandra had always told her that this was a gift, but every time she forced herself to look at Maria's future – every time she held the lifeless body of the baby in her arms – every time she looked into Maria's face as she died – she knew it was a curse as well.

Maria put down the novel she was reading and looked over at Liz. "Hey there. Want something to eat?" She pushed an uneaten half of her sandwich towards Liz.

"Thanks." Liz picked up the sandwich and took a bite. "So, how are you doing?"

"Pretty miserable actually." When Liz's face saddened, Maria felt the need to clarify. "The heat is terrible, I'm all swollen – I feel like a whale. I just want to get this baby out of me." Maria sighed then smiled. "Well – less then a month then I will be back to normal."

Well aware of Maria's due date, Liz forced a sympathetic smile. She understood that Maria was just an expectant mother who was excited to meet her firstborn, but to the small group who knew of Liz's visions, her due date was a ticking time bomb. "He'll be here soon enough."

"Or she will." Maria said smiling.

Liz decided to change the subject. "What are you reading?"

Maria picked the book up, handing it to Liz.

This was going to be easier then she expected. Over the past few weeks, she had become pretty adept at reading Maria. All she had to do was reach out and take the book from her hand, making sure to touch her in the process. Liz paused for a split second, bracing herself for the worst then reached out.

_The room is different now, more like a hospital room. Liz no longer is holding a child – instead she sits next to Maria who lies on the bed crying and rocking a small bundle in her arms. A woman who Liz had never seen before walks into the room and looks at a few of the monitors then softly places a hand on Liz's shoulder. "Maria is going to be fine." _

_Maria looks up at the woman. "Why?" She asks through her tears. "Why did he die?" _

_The woman looks sympathetically at Maria. "I don't really know. You carried to term, he looks to be completely healthy, but he never took a breath. He tried, but it seems his lungs didn't fully develop."_

_Liz watches as Maria nods as if she understands and then goes back to rocking her firstborn. _

The vision ended and Liz, forcing herself to be calm, took the book from Maria and looked at it. "Another trashy novel – huh?"

Maria grinned. "Well when your man is away you have to get your excitement somewhere."

The ship landed on a barren plain three weeks after it had left Earth. When its engines were powered down, Max looked over at his two comrades. "We're here."

Michael grabbed a nervous Ava's hand and tried to make light of the situation. "We might as well see what the fuss is all about."

Max nodded and lifted his hand to a panel beside the door. The panel glowed dimly and then the door opened with a hushed whoosh. The heat that rushed into the ship was stifling, worse then New Mexico in the middle of summer. Max turned one more time, making sure the others were ready before he descended down the ladder.

On the ground, the three took their first breath of the alien air. While oxygen did exist, the air felt heavier than that on Earth. The atmosphere was hot and humid, smelling of rock and decay with a faint undercurrent of spices. It seemed to caress the skin with a life of its own

The land was desolate, scorched from years of war and the two suns blazed above. A mysterious mist rose above desert sands, swirling among rolling hills of red clay. The fiery red of volcanic eruptions was visible in the distance. Harsh, jagged black rocks towered faraway against the backdrop of a brilliant sky painted in oranges, pinks and violet. The crescents of several large outlying planets were clearly discernible on the horizon, the largest showing many rings. Three moons were just beginning their climb to join the millions of stars already beginning to twinkle in the heavens.

Max squinted as he scanned the area, wondering where to go and what to do next.

"Over there." Michael pointed towards a hill in warning. The sound of Michael's voice was muffled and hollow, as though he were speaking through cotton.

Max and Ava followed the direction of his finger and saw a small group of people in flowing robes headed towards them. As the group came closer, the three lifted their hands ready to defend themselves.

Max was the first to lower his hand in recognition. Leading the small entourage was his mother. She walked close to him, bowed slightly, and then captured his face in her hands. "You have returned my son."

Her actions seemed to be a signal to those with her as they dropped to their knees and bowed before him.

Not sure what they should do, Michael and Ava stood behind Max, shifting back and forth. The queen noticed their discomfort and walked over to them. "I am pleased to see you both are well." She took one of each of their hands in hers then turned to the followers. "This is a happy day for your king and my children have returned home."

The followers replied in agreement as the queen went back to Max. "I know you have had a long journey and will need to rest. If you will follow me to my residence, I will see that your needs are met." She motioned for the followers to rise, then began to walk back towards the hills.

Max stood firm. "I will see my sister and son immediately!"

The queen turned calmly back towards her son. "I see you have seen her mind. She was a very brave woman."

"And you allowed me to believe she betrayed me!" he responded.

"It was necessary. You will come to see that." The queen answered.

Max fought for control of his temper. He knew now was not the time or place for the confrontation that would eventually come. Instead, glaring at her, he repeated his demand. "I will see my sister and son immediately."

"Yes of course. Your son resides at my residence. You may see him as soon as you wish." She hesitated for a moment before continuing, "But until your sister, as well as our world, is freed, she is lost to us."

"If it's a boy I think I will name him Alexander Michael, which will piss Michael off royally," she giggled, "but if it's a girl I haven't decided yet."

Jesse nodded, wondering if the baby would be named Isabel if his wife did not return.

The two continued their walk around the compound, taking advantage of the cooler evening air. Maria looked towards the horizon, noticing an object approaching in the distance. She pointed towards it. "What is that?"

Jesse looked up, adjusting his eyes to get a look where she was pointing. "It looks as if it's a car." He said with concern. "No one ever comes out here – we need to get the others."

"You run – I will catch up." Maria said in agreement.

"Hurry – We don't know who that is or what they want." Jesse said hastily before running off towards the cave.

A few minutes later Maria, Jesse, Liz, Alden, and Serena, along with a few of the Antarian guards, stood outside watching as the car came closer.

They watched as the car came to a stop and the occupants got out, revealing themselves as Jim and Kyle Valenti.

Liz was the first to greet the pair with a hug. "How did you know we were here?"

"Someone saw us together at the Crashdown – someone Max obviously didn't know about." Kyle explained showing his disdain of Max. "I put two and two together and realized that you must have been there, but Max made sure I didn't remember. I was worried. Max . . ." he stopped for a moment, wondering what she knew, "Anyway, I called dad and he had an idea of where the aliens were held up. We began looking, of course the great one – Max – decided to move the place so it took a lot longer then we thought. We had to . . . "

Listening to his son tell his story, Jim noticed Maria. Grinning, he cut off Kyle. "Holy shit girl you're pregnant!"

Maria laughed. "Yep."

"Amy doesn't know though – does she?"

Maria shook her head. "We've been kind of busy around here – I haven't had a chance to tell her."

"Too busy to tell your mother she is going to be a grandmother?" Jim chastised, then demanded. "Where the hell is Max?"

Liz tried to calm her own resentment as she started to explain all that had happened in the last eight or so months.

Part 28

The Queen led Max, Michael and Ava to a massive domed structure seemingly made of burnished metal. They entered through a small triangular  
entryway to find a massive hall. There were no windows to be seen, yet it glowed as if sunlight still found its way in. The walls were ridged and decorated with ancient tapestries. They came to a small circular room at the end of the passageway where the Queen directed them to enter. Scanning the area, the only furniture they saw was a large table that sat to one side and a few upholstered chairs positioned around the rest of  
the room. There were windows here formed in geometric shapes and covered with a thin translucent material instead of glass.

"Please make yourselves comfortable." The queen motioned to the chairs that were positioned around the wall. "I will beckon Zan."

Ava nodded and sat down in one of the chairs but Michael and Max continued to stand.

"Rand is to bring the boy to the solarium." The queen ordered to no one.

"As you wish your majesty." a disembodied voice answered.

She nodded and took a seat near Ava. Taking Ava's hand in hers, she held it fondly. "Earth was not kind to you?"

Ava could feel the woman's concern. Not knowing how to respond she finally just shook her head slightly.

With her long fingers, the Queen stroked her arm. "You will be happier now that you have returned home."

Ava forced a hesitant smile. "I am sure I will be."

A moment later the four looked up as Rand and Zan walked into the room. Max knelt to his son's level and smiled. He was tall for his age, with sandy hair and hazel blue eyes, the boy exhibited maturity far beyond his age.

Bowing his head, Zan took a step towards his father. "Father?"

Max lifted the boy's head and pulled him into an embrace. "There is no need to bow son."

Unused to the human custom of hugging, Zan did not reciprocate his father's actions but he did not pull away from him either. As his father continued to hold him, he turned his head and noticed the woman sitting by his grandmother. When Max let him out of his grasp, he walked over to the woman and knelt at her feet. Reaching for her hand he placed it on his face. "Mother."

Ava felt her body react to the boy. Her mind knew this child was not hers but her heart did not seem to care. She smoothed her hand over his face and felt tears come to her eyes. "I am not . . ."

The Queen cut her off. "Your mother is overwhelmed with joy to see you Zan."

Zan nodded and kissed the back of Ava's hand, then he turned back to Max. "Father, I am pleased you are alive and I am here to serve you."

Max shook his head. "I don't want a servant Zan, I want a son."

"I will do my best."

Max smiled. "You will do fine."

"Zan." The Queen interrupted the reunion. "Please go outside. I must speak to your parents privately. Afterward, I will send your mother out to you."

Zan nodded, bowed slightly and left the room alone.

The Queen looked at Ava. "Here on Antar, a child has an ingrained need for his mother. Fathers are rarely involved in a child's life so a mother is everything to our children. Since you found your way to my son, I did not feel the need to tell him of his true mother's fate." She motioned towards Max and continued, "A fate that may cause animosity between him and his father."

Ava understood. Her duty was not just to take Tess' place with the Royal Four, but to also take Tess' place as Zan's mother. She realized then that this duty would be easy for her to fulfill, for at this moment she wanted nothing more then to love and care for the child. She nodded her agreement.

"Very well . . . and Ava, although you did not give birth to him, you are his mother in every other sense. Do not feel as if you are not. Now, if you go through the door and turn towards your right, there will be another room on your left. You will find your son in that room." As Ava stood, the Queen added, "He may ask how he came to be on Antar. He is only to know that Khivar kidnapped him."

Ava nodded again and walked through the door to find the child.

During this exchange, Michael had paid close attention to the man who still stood with them in the corner of the room. There was something familiar about him but he couldn't place what it was.

The Queen finally noticed Michael's attention to the man. "You sense his essence Rath. Do you not?"

Michael shrugged. "He seems familiar."

"I did not know you were close on Earth."

Max finally turned his eyes towards the man. He seemed familiar to him as well but like Michael, he didn't know why. Finally he asked what they both wanted to know. "Who is he?"

Rand walked towards Max and Michael while the Queen explained. "He is the one your bride killed. The one you called . . ."

"Alex." Rand finished the sentence for the Queen.

Michael looked over in awe. "How can this be?"

The Queen smiled. "We knew of his importance long ago. When he was killed, we took his essence and combined it with an Antarian so he might live again."

Max studied the Antarian who claimed to be the first person he could not save while Michael walked over to him to have a closer look. He didn't look like Alex, though there were similarities. The facial expressions and mannerisms were the same, as was his height and build, though he looked rougher and larger somehow as if he seen his share of hard work. His hair was a touch lighter and his eyes were darker but when you looked into his eyes you saw the same wry, though playful, look in them that Alex always seemed to have.

Convinced that Rand was indeed their friend, Michael finally smiled. "Damn! Maria and Liz are gonna be thrilled when they find out. Not to mention Isabel."

Isabel's name brought any chance of a happy reunion to a halt. Instead, the three men stood in commiserative silence, thinking of how they would get the one they loved back from their joint enemy.

The Queen read their thoughts and was the first to break the silence. "We will get her back."

Max looked towards the Queen skeptically. "Why don't you start by telling me exactly how Khivar got his hands on her in the first place!" He demanded.

"What do you know?" She asked calmly.

"Why don't you just start at the beginning and tell me all that YOU know!"

The Queen looked into her son's eyes. "I am the one who found her on Earth, I am the one who went to Khivar and offered her to him." She saw her son's eyes burn with anger. Looking directly into them she added, "I will not apologize for my actions."

Max took a step towards her, looking as if he might kill the woman, but Michael grabbed his arm. "Hear her out Max."

Max glared at Michael but he knew he was right. He was angry but he needed her at least for now. He turned back to the Queen. "Why don't you elaborate and maybe I won't have to kill you."

The Queen let out a noise that could only be described as a snort, dismissing his outburst with a wave of her hand. "You are no longer on Earth Zan. You cannot kill me as easily as you could the humans, but you are the king and I will tell you what you want to know."

She paused for a moment, giving his anger time to subside before she continued. "Khivar had your son, the future of this monarchy. Zan is about to come of age and without the influence of our family, he would be lost to Khivar forever. I could not allow that to happen. So I weighed my options. I knew that Khivar would not hurt Vilandra and since she is already the woman she will become, I also knew that she would not be influenced by him."

Alex had been standing in the corner of the room quietly listening but the Queen's last line caused him to speak up. "That is not true. She has already been influenced by his evil."

The Queen looked sternly at Alex. "How would you know of that?"

"I have been visiting her in her dreams. She grows weary and is succumbing to Khivar's charms." Alex spat.

Michael jumped in at this point. "Then we need go now – we need get her away from him!"

Alex nodded his head in agreement but the Queen stopped them. "Rand, your report as well as your action in this matter concerns me, but we will discuss that at a later time."

Focusing her attention back on Max and Michael she asked, "Do you not think that I have tried to get her from his clutches? If I could get Vilandra out, then I could have just taken my grandson! But Khivar resides in the most fortified castle of Antar. I should know – I lived there for forty of your Earth years."

Max listened to the exchange before asking, "Then you must know of its weaknesses?"

The Queen shook her head. "There are no weaknesses. We will have to fight all the way to his inner sanctum to retrieve my daughter."

Max glared at her skeptically. "Tell me - how did Liz get out, then?"

Sighing, she tried to steer her son from the discussion that might ensue. She would tell him all he wanted to know about his heart, but it was a discussion best spoken in private. "It's simple, Khivar made a mistake." When the look on his face told her the answer she gave was not enough she added. "He believed her to be a weak human and let his guard down long enough for her to escape." She knew that would not satisfy him, but she tried to convey with her demeanor that she would continue when they were alone.

Max was not happy about his mother's evasive explanation but he understood that she would tell him later. He decided to wait for that time. He nodded his understanding before the Queen turned and pulled some papers from a compartment in the wall behind her. "Now we must go over what the resistance has been doing and what we can do to help them free the people of Antar as well as your sister."

Max, Michael and Alex walked over to the table where she now lay out the papers in front of her, ready to listen and learn.

The six humans sat at the table, eating and laughing, renewing old friendships as well as making new ones.

"So this one, drunk as a skunk…" Serena pointed towards Liz, "…decides that if I show my breasts to the nice policeman he would let us go."

"Well did it work?" Alden piped.

Serena swatted Alden while Liz smiled slyly and answered. "Of course."

The group giggled, seeing 'straight-laced' Liz acting so out of character.

"Well – just so you girls know – that will never work on me!" Jim interjected.

Kyle laughed. "Of course not dad – cause you are too old to appreciate them."

Jim snorted. "I may be old son, but I'm not dead."

"If you say so." Kyle teased as he rolled his eyes.

Jim tried to force a stern look but a grin came to his face instead. "Watch it son, I can still take you over my knee."

The grouped laughed some more before Maria rose from the table. "It's been fun but this mommy to be needs to go to bed."

"I'll walk with you." Jesse said as he stood up.

After a few minutes, Serena followed suit. "No sleep for me but," she nudged Alden, "You and I need to get back to work."

Alden nodded. "Grab some beer."

"Got it." Serena answered with it already in her hand.

As Alden stood, Jim caught Serena's eye. "Mind if I come along? I've always wanted to see the granolith, but Max never thought I should."

"Hell – why not." Serena motioned to the older Valenti. "Come on." Then she looked at Kyle and Liz, still sitting at the table. "You two be good now – you hear?"

Liz smiled and Kyle nodded his head. "Always."

"That's what I like to hear." Serena winked as she walked out the door, followed by the two men.

"I like your friends." Kyle said.

Liz grinned. "Yeah – they're great."

Kyle and Liz sat quietly for a bit before Kyle decided to start the conversation. "So I don't remember you being in Roswell."

Liz looked over at him. "I know."

"Want to tell me about it?"

Liz shook her head. "There isn't much to tell – other then what I've already told you. I didn't remember anything when I got there – you were helpful – Max came – I left with him and Ava mindwarped you."

The Queen motioned to Alex that they were finished for the time being and that he could put away the plans. "Now – would you like some sustenance?"

"Yes." Michael said quickly but Max shook his head. His questions had still not been answered.

The Queen looked towards Alex. "Rand, take Rath to his quarters and get him something to eat.

Alex slightly irritated at the queen's insistence of the use of Rand began to correct her but decided against it, instead he just nodded.

Michael looked over at Max. "Do you want me to stay?"

Max shaking his head was all the incentive Michael needed to follow Alex from the room. "I will see you in the morning then." He said as he disappeared out the door.

When he was completely gone Max looked over quizzically at the woman who kept telling him she was his mother. "Tell me what happened to Liz."

The Queen nodded. "She has amazing strength for a human. I would never have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself. Khivar did awful things to her, when we found her; she had been hiding in the wilderness for days. Her bones had been broken many times over as well as her skin being torn from her body – he had killed her just to heal her so he could do it again. In the many years that I have watched Khivar and his brutality, I have never seen him take so much pleasure in hurting someone."

Allowing himself to feel Liz's pain once again, Max closed his eyes forcing away the moisture behind them.

She stopped in her tracks realizing that her son was feeling guilty for Khivar's brutality. When he seemed to recover, she decided to focus on what happened after she found Liz, though she knew that would not be any easier for her son. "When she was brought here we healed her body but her soul was destroyed. She was lost in the memories of it all. At night she would wake screaming. At first I believed the memory of the torture was what tormented her, but it wasn't."

He could actually feel the pity his mother had for Liz as the woman continued. "The girl could not live with her betrayal of you."

"I know all this!" Max spat, willing the woman to stop. "I saw it – I felt it – when I healed her from Onirus' treachery."

The Queen nodded her understanding. "Onirus' act upon her was not sanctioned and since you saw fit to bring him with you, he will be punished. He misunderstood why her mind had been erased. He believed that it was done so she would not remember being with us, so she would not tell you, but it was not that. I took her memories so she would not relive the horror – so she could forgive herself for the betrayal she believed she had committed."

Max felt the anger rise at her last sentence. "A betrayal you allowed me to believe she committed."

"I did and I am not sorry for that. For years you let her be, you trained and learned to make the hard decisions necessary for our fight. You would not have done that if I would have corrected the deception too soon."

This explanation did not ease Max's fury; in fact it actually escalated it. "I could have killed her."

The Queen shook her head. "I know you as only a mother can know a child. You may have thought you were able to kill her, but you were not."

Max took a long breath. He did not share his mother's faith in himself.

The Queen had to be honest with her son but tried to diffuse the situation. "Although she cannot be your wife – marriage to Ava is a necessity – she will make a fine consort when you ascend the throne."

Max looked at the woman incredulously. "I will not marry Ava and Liz will not be my consort!"

"You have given Antar the heir it needs and in the eyes of the people you are already married to Ava, so there is no reason why your heart cannot come to live with you here once our world is free. She will give you the strength as well as the moral center that you will need to rule."

Furious Max shook his head. "Although I take full responsibility for my actions, you have played me madam and it has worked to your advantage, but you will not control my life any longer. I will not bring Liz to Antar and force her to live as a second to Ava or anyone else."

"Consorts very rarely are perceived as a second. The first marriage to a crowned prince is arranged, seen by the people as just a way to continue the line, her place is defined by being the mother of the heir. The consort, or second marriage, is seen as one of love and she is respected as such."

Max shook his head. He didn't even know why he was arguing this point. Didn't he already tell Liz, and believed it, that he would not return. That she should find another life and another love. "It doesn't matter. Liz will not be returning to Antar. I have no intention of ever seeing her again."

"I guess that's what I don't understand!" Kyle could hear the annoyance in his voice. "I assume I told you how evil he had become, how he probably wanted you dead, so I want to know why the hell did you go with him?"

Liz shrugged and looked down at the floor. "You did but . . ."

"Holy shit Liz!" Exasperated, Kyle ran his hand through his hair. "You went with him because you still love him."

Liz spoke emphatically, "No – that wasn't it. I was worried about . . ."

"Damn it Liz. You were worried about me – weren't you?"

"You and Serena."

"Ok – I can accept that – but why . . . why did you stay?"

Liz looked up at Kyle, knowingly.

"You stayed because you loved him." Kyle rolled his eyes."

"Not anymore though."

"Uh – huh." Kyle didn't believe that but he knew Max. He knew that Liz would never be happy with the man he had become and he had to convince her of that. She had to let the memory of who Max used to be go so she could move on with her life. "He's not worth the trouble, Liz."

"I know."

"I don't think you do." Kyle stopped until Liz looked into his eyes. "He treats people like dirt . . ."

Not wanting to hear the list of Max's sins, yet again, Liz cut him off. "I know."

Kyle ignored her. "He threatened Maria – tried his own sister's sanity. These are people he is supposed to love for God's sake!"

Liz felt tears in her eyes. She had known what Max had done but she still didn't want to hear it. "I know Kyle." She croaked out.

Even though he wanted to continue, to tell her about Tracy, Kyle felt guilty for his brutal honesty so instead he waited for Liz to calm herself.

Liz took a cleansing breath. "He's done more." She said softly. "I thought he had changed. I thought he loved me. I thought he was trying to be the man we all once cared about . . . but then he left us."

That was the one thing that Kyle would have expected the old Max to do. Leave the humans behind while the aliens left Earth to fight a war. It might have been the wrong decision, but it was one that Max would have made years ago. He would have insisted that the journey or Antar or whatever was too dangerous for the humans. If any of them had argued, he would have just ordered them to stand down and the amazing thing about that is that the humans would obey.

Liz saw Kyle's confusion and began again. "I told you I could see the future. Well, I saw Maria's and the baby will not survive. Max should have stayed – in case something like that happened – he should have known there was a possibility . . ."

As Liz's voice dropped off she was interrupted by Kyle's father who had made his way back from the granolith cave. "How was he supposed to know? Did you tell him?"

Liz shook her head. "I didn't know."

"Liz, Max wouldn't have any reason to believe the child wasn't going to be completely healthy. His son was fine when he was born. Why would he think Michael and Maria's baby would be any different?" Jim asked. "I'm not saying that he was right, but he made a decision based on what he knew. He didn't know that Maria's child would die and . . . "

He stopped short as they heard the scream from the next room.

"NO!"

Part 29

"NO!"

Liz, Kyle and Jim ran from the kitchen into the hallway where Maria, had found her way to the floor where she now sat, yelling hysterically. 

"No! You're wrong! No! How could you know that!" She wrapped her arms around her stomach. "My baby is fine! It has to be." Rocking now she continued to chant, over and over again. "It has to be."

Kyle squatted next to Maria and put his hand on her shoulder. "Maria." He said softly but when she continued to chant, he spoke louder. "Maria. Listen to me. We are going to figure this out. Your baby will be fine." With Maria still rocking and ignoring him, Kyle looked up at his father in disgust.

Jim, feeling guilty, whispered to Liz. "I didn't know she was there."

Liz nodded her head sympathetically then knelt down on the other side of Maria. "Listen honey, Serena is working on getting the granolith to work so we can get a message to Max and Michael. But we have to get you back to bed. You have to stay calm for the baby's sake. We can't have you going into premature labor."

The words of wisdom seemed to force Maria from her hysterics. She nodded her head and tried to get up. When she couldn't, Liz reached down to help. But instead of helping her friend up, she found her way into Maria's future.

_Maria is on the bed in her room here at the house again. _

_Serena is at her feet. "You have to push Maria. The baby has to come out!" _

Shaking her head frantically Maria yells back. "I will not! If the baby stays in the baby might live!" 

_The frustration on Serena's face is apparent. "If the baby stays in – you both die! You have to push Maria. NOW!" _

Not prepared for the vision, Liz yanked her hand from Maria's arm and took a step back. Jim quickly took her place by Maria's side and the two Valenti's helped her up. "We'll take you to your room." Jim said soothingly.

Liz watched the scene for a moment until she regained her senses. "Yes, you two take Maria to her room. I'm going to go see Serena."

On her feet now, Maria pulled away from Kyle and Jim. "I'm going with you!" She declared forcefully.

Understanding that Maria needed to be involved now, if only to keep her calm, Liz shook off the protests she knew would come from the men. 

Jim nodded his agreement. "Let's all go then."

Rolling his eyes, Kyle motioned for the other's to lead the way.

The Queen bid her goodnights to her guests and went up to her room where she fell down on a chair. The day had been exhausting for her and it still wasn't over. She summoned Rand with her mind and waited, thinking about the conversations she had earlier with her son. She had not argued with his belief that he would not see his heart again for she knew that he would. Zan loved the girl as she had once loved the King, and that kind of love would not be denied.

A knock on the door brought her from her thoughts. "Enter."

Alex slipped through the door and bowed. "Your Majesty."

The Queen nodded. "Please come and sit with me."

Alex did as he was asked.

The two sat quietly for a few minutes, thoughts of the day going though both minds. Finally the Queen reached out and rested her hand on Alex's arm. "Are they as you remember?"

Alex shook his head. "Not exactly. Max . . ." He looked over and noticing her distaste for the name, corrected himself. "Zan has not lost his ability to command those around him, Rath seems more cautious. Ava, I did not know."

"I wonder if things would have been different if this Ava had been with the four rather then the other."

"Maybe but I doubt it would be to your liking." Alex said with disdain.

The Queen looked over at the man whose destiny was as important as the Royals, and frowned. "You believe I am the monster that my son and his second think I am?"

Alex knew better then to tell her what he thought. Instead he answered as diplomatically as possible. "I know that you believe your actions are done for a greater cause, that one day you will have the world you have dreamed of."

She smiled. "It is almost at an end. If my faith is proven true then this world will become the utopia that we deserve."

Skeptically, Alex looked over at her. "But at what cost?"

The Queen ran her hand down his arm, to his hand and brought it to her face. "Do not worry. My daughter will live."

"I would like to be as sure as you are."

"I cannot understand why you are not. Don't you feel it in your heart?" When Alex shook his head the Queen squeezed his hand and placed it back on his chair. "You will see."

After taking a few moments to dwell on that thought the Queen looked over at Alex once again but this time her words were to chastise him. "You visited Vilandra in her dreams. You should not have done that."

Alex looked over ready to defend his deeds but the Queen stopped him before he could utter a word. "She is not in danger if Khivar believes he must contend with only her human but if he realizes that he must contend with one of my trusted advisors, who is human as she is but also Antarian like him, then he may feel he must go to more extreme measures to keep her. Those measures could do harm to her or to Antar."

"I don't give a damn about Antar at the moment but I will refrain from visiting her for her sake" at least after tonight. He thought to himself.

The Queen nodded. "That is all I can ask. Now we must hope that Khivar does not find out of your visit." She stood from her chair, signaling that this conversation was over. "You will be in the meeting of the Consul tomorrow."

Alex stood and bowed. "As you wish, Your Majesty."

"Good, now go and let me rest."

Alex bowed once more and left, leaving the Queen alone to rest and reflect.

As Isabel lay in her bed, her mind began to think, as it had these last few days, on her dream of Alex. Had it really been Alex or just her imagination? She remembered those months after Alex died, all the times she saw him. Back then it had been as it was a few nights ago – so real. 

"Alex is dead." She reminded herself but the feeling of him being with her was so vivid. She tried to put it out of her mind so that she could sleep. Tomorrow Khivar had promised to take her outside of the castle walls again and she wanted to be rested so she could enjoy the outing and maybe, though she was doubtful, find a way to escape.

The thoughts continued seemingly for hours before exhaustion overtook her and she finally drifted into a dream state.

"_Isabel." The voice came from the darkness._

_Isabel immediately opened her eyes and swung up and out of her bed. "Who's there?" She asked to the night. _

_Seeing that this time she was alone, Alex walked out from the shadows.   
_

_At the site of him, tears came to Isabel's eyes but she forced herself to reject what she saw. "Alex, you aren't real, you can't be. You're dead."_

_Alex reached over to wipe a tear from her cheek. _

Isabel moved her face into his hand and closed her eyes, feeling the sensation. "I want you to be real." She whispered. 

_Alex smiled at her. "I promise you, I am." He looked towards the door. "I have to go, Khivar can't find me here. You have to promise me you will stay strong. Max and Michael are here. We will rescue you soon."_

_Isabel looked up into Alex's eyes, she didn't know why she believed him but she did. "I will." She whispered. _

Alex touched her face one last time and faded from her dream before a knock at the door woke her. 

Jesse, hearing the commotion got out of bed and went out into the hallway. "What are you guys doing?"

Kyle, with a smirk on his face, was the first to answer. "We are _all_ going to see Serena." With questions still written all over Jesse's face, Kyle lagged a little and whispered to him. "My father was talking about Maria's baby not surviving. Maria heard."

Jesse nodded, grabbed a t-shirt off the floor and followed the group down to the cave.

When the four walked into the chamber, Serena and Alden both looked up with a start. "What the hell?" Alden asked.

Serena scanned the group and upon seeing Maria and the worry that now resided on her face she knew what had happened. She walked over to Maria and put her hand on her shoulder. "We are doing our best."

Maria nodded and when Jim placed a chair behind her smiled up at him in gratitude and sat down.

"Can I speak to you privately?" Liz asked of Serena.

Serena nodded but Maria spoke up. "I don't want anymore secrets. It's my baby I think I have a right to know."

Liz turned towards Maria and sighed, then turning towards Serena she explained what she had seen. Ending with, "we have to do something – now."

Serena ran her hands through her hair in exasperation. "I'm trying. We have the translation of the damn book but when we try to follow it nothing happens. I don't know what else to do."

"Well try again!" Kyle exploded.

Serena didn't have a better idea so she just nodded.

"Let me help." Liz said.

Alden handed Liz the key and walked her over to the granolith. "When Serena tells you, put the key in that slot."

Liz nodded and waited for the signal. When it came she placed the key into the hole. Serena watched in awe, holding her breath as the granolith for the first time began to hum. But just when the group thought the answer had been Liz the sound ceased. 

Alden looked over at Serena about to say something but found her hand in the air – telling them all to be quiet. Finally after a few minutes she looked back towards the group. "Dammit! It has to be an alien! Well, not alien." She was thinking out loud now. "We had an Antarian try already, maybe royal?"

When the group didn't seem to follow she tried to explain. "It has to be an alien that starts the granilith. Actually it has to be a specific alien – maybe Max. That's the only explanation why Liz can make it work but we couldn't."

"But it didn't work." Alden pointed out.

Serena rolled her eyes at him as if to say that she knew that but focused her attention back to the others. "Liz was healed by Max. He told me once that he thought his DNA mixed with a person that he healed. There must be some residual DNA left in Liz."

"Which means there isn't enough for her to start the damn thing." Alden stated.

Serena frowned and nodded her head.

Kyle stepped forward. "Max healed me too."

"It's worth a try." Serena said, looking towards Liz.

Liz handed Kyle the key. A few minutes later when Kyle placed the key into the hole the granilith hummed again for a few seconds and then died.

"FUCK! Maybe if we had an Antarian helping." Serena looked over at Jim. "Go see if you can find one of those Antarian guards that are always running around here looking useless?"

Jim nodded and ran out the door.

Serena looked back at the granolith and began to think out loud. "Maybe if Kyle and Liz both . . ."

"Yeoww!" Serena's words were interrupted by a painful scream from Maria.

Serena snapped her neck around to find a puddle on the floor by Maria's chair. "Shit – shit – shit." She whispered under her breath.

Liz walked towards Maria but Serena shook her head. "We have to get this thing working now!" She looked over at Jesse who was the closest to Maria, "Bring Maria over here." She ordered.

Without questioning Serena's intentions Jesse went over to Maria, picked her up and brought her to the granolith. Immediately the granolith began to hum.

"The baby!" Liz said excitedly.

Serena nodded. "Give her the key." Then as an afterthought she added, "Liz, Kyle, stand with her! Just to be on the safe side." 

Maria felt another contraction. "OWW!" 

Jesse held her firmly. "It's going to be alright."

"NOW!" Serena yelled. "Put the key in now!"

Maria gritted her teeth, forcing herself to ignore the pain and dropped the key into its slot. 

Serena and Alden watched in awe as the four were sucked into the granolith. 

Jim felt a tremor and ran back to find his son, Liz, Maria and Jesse in the machine. "HOLY SHIT!" The granolith tremors became stronger. Jim looked up at his son. "We need to get him out . . ."

His sentence was cut short when a light flashed; blinding them and a blast of energy knocked the three outside of the machine off their feet.

When the three found their bearings once again, they looked up at where the granolith had once been. "What happened to it?" Jim asked frantically. "Where did they go?"

Alden shrugged. "I think they went on a little trip."

Serena kicked Alden in the shin and looked sympathetically at Jim. "They should be on their way to Antar."

"Should be?"

Part 30

"_Love someone else." _

Although exhausted, sleep would not come to Max. Instead the last words he had spoken to Liz replayed over and over in his mind. Part of him would not admit that he had been so cruel but then he would remember the devastation written on her face, a memory that was seared in his mind, a memory that would haunt him forever even though he would spend a lifetime trying to forget.

"_It was for her own good."_

Rationalizing his decision, he repeated his mantra. Hadn't he done it for her, so that she could live, grow old . . . be happy? And eventually it would work. He knew it. She would move on and love someone else, she would have children and live without pain, she would grow old and die in the arms of her loved ones. He hated his decision and could barely deal with the outcome of it, but that was a hell of a lot better then living, more than likely, a very short life as a whore only to die as an outcast, worlds from her family.

These were thoughts that had plagued him every night since he had turned from her on Earth but tonight, regrets were mingled with all he had learned. He wanted to blame his mother for everything that had happened to him and Liz but he couldn't. She had played her part and God knew she had manipulated them but at the core, he had made his own choices and had to accept the consequences that came with them.

He forced himself to think of other matters that had been discussed.

He had asked her about the granolith.

"_The granilith is not as you believe, a mere machine, it is much greater." The Queen answered. _

"_So then, what is so damn important about it?" _

"_Our essence," she began, "survives for a time after our bodies have died. The granolith summons that part of us to it, where it binds the people of Antar together. It shows us our history, gives us a greater sense of purpose as well as guidance from our ancestors." _

_Max thought on the answer then asked. "And if it is destroyed?" _

"_The essence of all Antarians that have lived before would be lost." She finished. _

_For a moment something close to guilt washed over Max. "It is gone." _

_Dismissively, the Queen waved her hand. "The granilith is in tact. If it were not, I would feel the loss." _

_The guilt was gone, replace by an irrational anger at Serena. "She promised to destroy it." He mumbled to himself. "What if someone finds it? What if they use it to follow us here?" _

_Softly, the Queen answered, "She will not follow you. Even if they have the knowledge to use the granilith, humans do not have the ability to make the it work, but when this is over, when you return . . ." _

"_I will not return!" Max said, cutting her off. _

At that he sighed, his mind had brought him full circle.

"_Love someone else."_

When morning broke, Isabel had been uneasy about the 'dream' she had but now, hours later, as Isabel was escorted down a large stone staircase into an open courtyard, only the thrill of a day outside her prison consumed her.

Amazed by the varieties of flowers that grew throughout the area, she broke away from her escort to get closer. When she came upon a bloom that looked like a dark blue rose with gold edges she closed her eyes and took in the scent. It smelled almost tangy but still pleasing to her senses. She sniffed again and memories came to her about this place. These flowers were her father's, the king's. She could remember running from her brother through the courtyard while her father tended to his plants and her mother sat on a bench, pretending to read, but all the while laughing at the children's antics.

A hand rested on Isabel's shoulder bringing her from her memories. "Come Vilandra."

Isabel nodded her head and followed Khivar to an elaborate open carriage pulled by large animals that looked more like Earth's deer than horses. She ran her hand over the smooth shiny surface, feeling the coolness of the metal. Khivar offered her his hand and when she took it he helped her into the vehicle.

When they were comfortably in the carriage and Khivar had signaled for the driver to go, Khivar looked over at Isabel. "This will be a day the people of Antar will never forget."

Confused, Isabel raised an eyebrow towards him.

"The people of Antar have been praying for this day, the day when they would once again see their Queen."

"I am not their Queen." Isabel argued.

Khivar smiled proudly. "You are. The course was set in motion long before you faded from us. I was to be King and you were to be Queen. It was perfect."

Isabel rode in silent thought for a moment before questioning him more. "And the people . . . they wanted this?"

"They begged for it. Your father was not only a harsh ruler but an incompetent one as well. By joining with the other planets, he threw our world into a depression, the likes of which had never been seen. Hunger ran rampant and our people turned to a life of crime. The elder king kept the crime in check by giving these criminals harsh penalties but when Zan ascended the throne he did nothing for our economy and did away with the harsh sentences. This only led to a higher crime rate. The people were hungry and needed to work but were too scared to leave their homes. Eventually a revolution began. When we fell in love and you joined our cause we were the ideal couple to lead the new world. The people didn't want King Zan but they still wanted someone with royal lineage to sit on the throne. That is why they followed me. That is why they followed us."

Isabel listened quietly as Khivar recited his interpretation of Antarian history. It angered her to think that her father and brother could be responsible for so much pain and suffering but she kept reminding herself that this was only one side of the story and until she found out both sides she could not make a judgment.

He looked over the crowds who were cheering for the couple. "Look Vilandra. Look at your subjects. They are fed and clean and happy to see their Queen."

Isabel sat up and bit and waved at the crowd causing an uproar. "Will I be able to meet any of them?"

Khivar shook his head, knowing that he must think of a reason why she could not. Today, he had officers in the crowd who were weeding out the dissenters but he could not be sure if someone was picked to meet Vilandra that they would say what he would want them to say and he knew that killing a family in front of her would not make bring her closer to him. "Not today my dearest, but if it is what you wish I will plan an outing in the near future where you may meet a few and speak to them about their lives before and after the revolution."

Isabel nodded and settled back into her seat. She would like to speak to them and find out how much of what Khivar said was truth and how much was fiction.

After listening to the group debate for hours, Alex finally spoke up. "If we could break through Khivar's armies at Togron, then it would only take a few men to go into the south entrance and overtake the guards at his palace. We could free the Princess and hopefully kill Khivar. The war would be over."

A few of the Generals stopped and considered this but most shook their heads in disagreement. The Queen smiled condescendingly. "Hope is not good enough. Your human side is getting the best of you. Although, your words make is seem easy, I must remind you that Khivar is our priority. My daughter along with the people will be free once we are rid of him. Your plan does not guarantee that this goal will be fulfilled."

"I say let's go with Alex's idea!" Michael yelled, annoyed with the Queen's hesitancy. "I just want to get Isabel and get back to Maria before my child is born. I don't give a damn about this fucking planet!"

The Generals let out a collective gasp hearing that their commander did not care about their planet, but the Queen, concerned by what Michael had implied before that, turned abruptly towards him and asked. "Your human is already pregnant?"

Michael glared at the woman. "Yes she is!"

"When?" She asked sadly.

"Soon! Very Soon!" Michael yelled, annoyed with the questions. "Does that cause a problem with your schemes!"

"No, not with saving Antar." The Queen paused, knowing that her next words would cause her son's second to go into a rage, but it had to be said. If a human was pregnant by one of the Royal Four then something must be done. "The child is in grave danger on Earth. The baby cannot survive there."

The rage became apparent but a strength greater then his own stifled it long enough to ask, "Why?"

Disquieted by Rath's control the Queen answered. "If the baby is not 100 percent human then it will need to live on Antar for a few months. The air here will give it the immunities it will need to survive."

Max looked in sympathy towards Michael and then, believing her words to be a lie, back at the Queen in anger. "Would you mind telling us how Zan survived then?" He asked calmly.

The Queen nodded. "Zan's mother is Antarian. Her antibodies were passed to the child. Rath's child's mother is human. If she even survives the birth, she will not be able to do the same."

Michael seethed. "Even survives!" The Queen nodded causing Michael to go quiet for a moment, letting this new information sink in. He wanted to yell and scream, tell Max this was all his fault, blast this Queen into oblivion, beat the shit out of something or someone, but instead he just looked over at Max with determination in his eyes. "I have to go back."

Max nodded his agreement but the Queen tried to convince them it would be a mistake. "Rath you cannot go. Even if we did not need you here if you went you may not be able to get to her in time. The only chance the child has is for her to use the granilith to bring her to us."

Wondering how much the woman said were truths and how much were lies, Max glared at the Queen. "Earlier you told me that no human could make the granilith work!"

The Queen nodded. "I did, but that was before I knew . . ."

"Knew what?" Max questioned.

"Knew that one of the humans now carried Antarian Royalty."

Shaking his head in disgust Max mumbled under his breath. "They don't know how to use it."

Knowing that he could not leave Maria and the baby to chance, Michael, without saying a word, walked through the door, down the hallway, and exited the structure heading for the ship that brought him to this God-forsaken planet. He had one mission at the moment, and although he loved Isabel his responsibility was to Maria and their child.

"This is foolish." The Queen said to Max before issuing an order to one of the Generals. "You will bring Rath back."

As the General turned to go after him Max, taking control, stopped him in his tracks. "YOU WILL BOTH CEASE! He's going and no one is going to do anything about it!"

Turning back to his King the General bowed his obedience.

"Michael will do what he needs to do." Max continued as he turned towards the Queen. "We will fix one problem at a time and since you believe Maria and the baby are in danger and Isabel is not we will find a way to help Maria first." Max thought a moment. "We need to get a message to them."

As Alex slipped unnoticed out of the room, the Queen looked back at her son's face while she listened to his plans, and although it was not the ideal time she saw exactly what she had been hoping for since the day she sent him to Earth. Her son was back, prepared to take his place as Antar's King.

It had been a busy day. Khivar had given her a tour of the Royal City, then taken her to a marketplace that had been emptied for the two to shop and be served at an eating establishment. When they finally left, Isabel felt exhaustion overtaking her. As the carriage swayed she leaned back into her seat and drifted off into unconsciousness.

Khivar rode next to her in silence letting her sleep. He reached over and took her hand, pulling it to his face. "Vilandra," he whispered, "if you would only allow yourself to love me, allow me to love you, we can finally rule this as well as the other four worlds as we should have years ago."

Isabel stirred for a moment and pulled his hand towards her body, caressing it as she slept. "I love you," She said softly.

Khivar held his breath, thinking that Vilandra was beginning to come around until he heard her speak again.

"I love you Alex."


	4. Chapter 31

Part 31

Outside, Michael stomped through the mist towards the ship. He didn't give a damn what any of them said, not Max, or that Queen or God himself if he existed. He just didn't care. As he walked over the hill a flash of light along with an explosion, blinded him and knocked him to his feet. As the light faded he looked up into the pain stricken eyes of his beloved.

"Maria?"

Maria doubled over and screamed causing Liz and Jesse, who were by her side to grab her arms in support.

"I think she's in labor." Kyle said matter-of-factly to Michael.

Michael jumped up and ran to her side. Pushing Jesse out of the way, he lifted her into his arms. "It'll be alright." He soothed. "You're here now." He felt her stomach contract against him and knew that he had to get her to Max. With Maria in his arms he turned and ran towards the queen's residence.

After commanding the aliens to allow Michael to leave, Max marched out the door to help Michael get on his way. But he only walked a few feet before seeing Michael running towards him with Maria in his arms. Antarian guards were converging up the rear, ready to fight if the flash of light brought any new threat. As he took in the scene, he caught his first glimpse of the others trying to keep pace with Michael.

"Max!" Michael yelled. "They came in the granolith, she's in labor. You have to help her."

When his eyes found Liz, time slowed. He could no longer feel the breeze on his face or hear Michael's panicked voice as he yelled. The only thing that existed at that moment was the two of them and for that brief instant, Max felt euphoric, as if his heart had returned.

That feeling was fleeting.

When she finally returned his gaze he saw something unnerving. A hatred burned bright in Liz's eyes, a look he had never seen her wear. The loathing and rage was directed towards him. He knew he was the one to blame, giving up on their love and the possibility of ever seeing her again. But in that moment, he yearned to hold her, to be close to her, to beg for forgiveness and declare his undying love. Reality came crashing back to him as Michael, terrified that Maria and the baby were still in danger, rushed passed him yelling for him to follow. Max closed his eyes, pushing away his own needs, and turned back to open the door for Michael.

The queen had heard the commotion and was waiting inside, giving orders. As soon as Michael entered the residence she took charge. "Follow me. We will take her upstairs and make her comfortable. I have sent for the physicians. They will be here shortly."

The group followed the queen and Michael up the stairs and into a large bedroom area.

"Put her down." The queen ordered. "Rath you may stay, but the rest of you must leave!"

Michael turned towards the queen. "Max isn't leaving. He may need to heal her or the baby."

The queen shook her head. "It is not necessary. Max is not the only healer here on Antar."

"I'll stay." Max stated, knowing that his presence would, if nothing else, keep Michael calm.

The queen nodded her head. "If that is what you wish." She walked to the other side of the bed where Maria now lay and sat down beside her. "You and the babe will be fine." She said calmly, moving her hand to Maria's face.

Almost immediately the contractions subsided and Maria breathed easier. "Thank you," she said as she clasped the queen's hand that still rested on her face.

The older woman smiled down at Maria. "I will stay until another comes to help you with your pain. Rest now child, you will need your strength."

Maria nodded, squeezed the woman's hand once again and closed her eyes.

The exchange annoyed Michael but if it helped Maria, he would keep his mouth shut.

The queen looked over at Liz, Kyle and Jesse who were still in the room. "The girl needs to rest. You may wait outside the door if you wish or there are quarters being prepared for you where you may relax, but you must leave."

Without argument, Kyle and Jesse walked from the room, but Liz stayed firmly planted in her place. She gave up her anger for a time to look over at Max, pleading with her eyes to allow her to stay. In the few minutes she had been there, she had already seen how everyone deferred to him.

Max, feeling her gaze, found her eyes again. Part of him wanted her to stay, if not for Maria then just so he could be close to her but he also knew if she did he would not be able to concentrate.

Max was granted a reprieve when a female Antarian, followed by two others, entered the room. "A royal birth," the woman sung, "what a glorious day."

The queen stood when the woman came near and clasped the woman's hand. "Indeed."

"Come." The woman said to one of her subordinates.

The Antarian walked over to Maria's side and placed his hand on her face as the queen had done.

The queen hastily walked over to Liz. "Come, my dear, it will be a while now and she is in good hands. Rath will stay as will Zan. If she calls for you the physician will make sure you are brought here."

Liz glanced over at Max once again but he would not meet her eyes. Angry, but knowing that without Max's intervention she would have to leave, Liz followed the queen from the room.

As they walked into the hall, Liz noticed that Jesse and Kyle were no where to be found.

"They are fine. They have been shown to their quarters." The queen explained. "Would you like to go to yours?"

Liz shook her head adamantly. "I will stay here."

The queen smiled. "I knew you would want to be close to your friend. I have given you my room, which is right across the hall. The physician knows this and will send someone to get you if you are needed. But do not worry dear, your friend and her child will receive the best possible care and I promise you, they will be fine." The queen walked a few steps and opened the door to her room. "Go ahead," she gestured towards the room, "relax for a while and I will send someone to you with something to eat."

Liz nodded her thanks and walked into the room.

The queen, herself, walked into the room where Liz now lay on the bed, and handed her a tray of food. "It might be a bit spicy for your taste but we did try to add some ingredients that would dull the sting."

Liz nodded but didn't go for the food.

"You are not hungry?" The queen asked.

Liz shook her head.

"You are worried about your friend."

Liz nodded again.

"I have been in contact with the physician since I left the room. Everything is going well."

"I would feel better if I could see for myself."

The queen smiled sympathetically and took Liz's hand in hers. "You do not like to be in the dark." 

Nodding again, Liz answered. "No one does."

"Sometimes it is for the best."

"I can't see how." Liz protested.

The queen smiled, knowingly. She loved this girl as her daughter, but she doubted anyone would ever believe that. And now the queen desired to talk to the girl as they had years before but knowing until she knew the truth she could not, the queen kept her thoughts to herself. She was glad the girl was still in the dark about her time spent on Antar, realizing the pain that would be inflicted upon her when she found out but she was also perplexed as to why Zan didn't allow her to know on Earth.

The queen's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. "I have something that might distract you while you are waiting."

Liz watched as the queen opened the door and allowed an Antarian male to come into the room.

"Your majesty." The man said as he bowed slightly annoyed that the Queen had taken him from his self appointed mission on what was no doubt some trivial matter. "I was told you needed to see me."

The queen reached her hand to the man's face. "Rand, I think she is ready to meet you again."

Rand looked over the queen's shoulder at his friend from his former life. "Lizzie!"

Liz looked over at the man nervously. Why would some Antarian call her Lizzie? She asked herself.

Rand made his way over to Liz and engulfed her in a bear hug. "Liz, you don't remember me but I remember you!" He squeezed tighter. "I'm Alex."

Liz pushed the man away from her and looked up at him skeptically. 

"I know . . . kind of strange . . . new body and all." When Liz didn't respond, Alex tried another tactic. "Remember when we were in 4th grade and you got into a fight with Tina Baxter," He smiled mischievously. "and you ripped the sleeve your dress and you were worried that your mother would get mad so I told her that I did it."

Liz nodded cautiously. "You told her that you were running after me and you grabbed the sleeve and it tore."

Alex smiled. "You mother never could get mad at me." He waited a minute and then tried again. "How about the first day of Junior High, you stuffed your bra because Maria had bigger boobs then you?"

"Oh God!" Liz exclaimed while turning beat red. "For the next month people asked me for toilet paper whenever they went to the restroom." She looked up, studying his face, trying to find something she recognized.

Alex rolled his eyes and grinned.

"It is you." Liz said cautiously at first then again with more feeling. "It is you!" She jumped up into his arms and squeezed him through the happy tears that now flowed. "How did this happen?"

Alex hugged her back for the longest time, happy to finally have one of his human friends with him. "I don't remember. I remember yelling at Tess, telling her that she had screwed up my mind and the next thing I knew I was being brought out of a deep sleep and the queen was standing over me. She told me they took my soul and had it brought to Antar where they combined it with Antarian DNA, much like they did to Isabel, Max, Michael and Tess."

Liz nodded her understanding and hugged him again. "I don't care how they did it – I'm just so glad that you are alive."

Determination in his stride, Alex marched down the long corridor towards his room. Now that Liz had filled him in on all that had happened since he had slipped out of the meeting earlier, his plan seemed all the more important. He knew Max and Michael needed to be with Maria right now but, that didn't change the fact that the woman he loved was being held captive by a madman and now, to make matters worse, he felt she was no longer even safe from physical harm. He could wait no longer. If no one else was could do anything about Isabel's plight, then he was set on doing something alone.

Deep in thought about his mission, Alex was surprised when a human he had never seen before emerged from a room nearby.

"Excuse me." Jesse hesitated for a moment while the Antarian turned towards him. "I have been asking about my wife and I can't seem to get any answers."

Although he knew the answer before he asked, he still spoke the question. "And who, may I ask, is your wife?"

"Isabel." When the Antarian they called Rand didn't answer he tried again. "Vilandra."

Alex knew this day would come and now, for the good of Isabel, he buried any feelings he might have for the man who had taken his place at Isabel's side. "She is being held at the Royal Estates, now Emperor Khivar's Castle."

Concern washed over Jesse's face. "We need to rescue her!"

Alex shook his head. "_We_?"

Jesse stood firm. "She is my wife. I have a right to be involved in any rescue attempt."

"You are human." Alex pointed out.

'_Does every alien think that humans are beneath them?_' Jesse asked himself before answering. "I don't care. I can't stay here and do nothing. I want to go with you."

"You are not trained for it. If you went with me, failure would be assured."

Jesse considered that for a moment, but remained unconvinced. "Something has to be done. Max and Michael are busy with Maria so you are the only one available to do anything. You either take me or I will follow you. I would think it would be better if we worked together."

Alex nodded only to pacify the man.

Jesse smiled smugly and turned towards the door to his room. "Let me close up before we go."

Alex reached over and pressed his hand lightly on the back of the man's head. Jesse's eyes rolled back as he slumped to the ground.

Alex quickly looked up and down the hall, and then pulled the unconscious man into his room. As he walked out the door he turned back and looked at him. "You sleep now. When you awake, Isabel will be back in your arms," Alex winced a bit, "where she belongs."

The sudden stop woke Isabel from her nap. She looked up to find Khivar already jumping out of the carriage. She straightened herself a bit, getting her bearings, before standing to exit the coach. Instead of acting the complete gentleman as he had the last few times they stopped, Khivar walked away from the door leaving Isabel to jump down on her own.

She watched as Khivar walked over to the guards that stood at attention. "You will take the prisoner to her cell until I decide what to do with her!" He bellowed with anger.

Isabel felt a shiver run up and down her spine. Khivar had never called her a prisoner nor her room a cell. She wanted to ask what the hell was going on but, one look at his face and she realized that it was best for her to keep her mouth shut.

A guard held out his hand politely but, as Isabel went to take it Khivar barked once again. "No need to be so gentile. She is not Vilandra anymore."

Isabel jumped at the venom in his words. "Khivar?"

Khivar turned towards Isabel and grabbed her face angrily. "You will be silent or I will kill you where you stand! The only reason you still live is because that family of yours still believes that you are their long lost daughter." He laughed sardonically. "They will soon realize their mistake."

Khivar turned and walked into the castle, leaving Isabel to the guards as they took her to her room.

Alex was finishing up packing his gear when a servant entered his room.

"Sir." The man began. "One of the humans has gone off on his own."

Although he knew the answer, Alex asked anyway. "Which one?"

"The tall, darker one. The one who claims to be wed to the princess."

Kicking himself for not incapacitating Jesse more thoroughly, Alex picked up his gear and headed for the door. But then as an afterthought he turned back to the servant. "Do not bother anyone else about this." He ordered. "I will take care of it."

The servant nodded as Alex stormed out. Now he not only had to save the woman he loved but, the man whom she had made her life with.


	5. Chapter 32

Part 32

After studying the map that he had stolen from the queen's residence, Jesse yanked his cloak back over his head. Praying that he was deciphering the alien symbols correctly, he turned down a small obscure road that was paved with rock that looked like marble. He ignored most of the odd looking vegetation that grew up over the road; instead he kept a watchful eye out for any aliens he might encounter.

"They aren't the aliens here, Jesse, you are." He mumbled to himself. Being concerned only with finding Isabel, he hadn't thought of the dangers that might await him on this part of his journey. What would these people do if they encountered an alien? Would they be like Earthlings and want to imprison him and study him or would they just kill him without question? He looked down the seemingly deserted road and then pulled his cloak closer to him, hoping no one would look too closely at his features.

It had seemed like hours since he left the relative safety of the residence but still he plodded on. "What the hell were you thinking?" He asked himself out loud. But he knew the answer. He had thought of the last six plus years. How he had spent them letting aliens dictate what he could do and where he could go. When yet another tried to decide his fate it had been the last straw. Isabel was his wife, the woman he loved, and no one, not Max, not some random alien, not even Isabel herself was going to stop him from doing everything in his power to see that she was safe. Maybe his thinking had not been rational but he didn't give a damn. Isabel was being held by someone they all, humans and aliens alike, feared. Why would they just leave her with him? How was that rational?

Noticing two Antarians walking towards him, Jesse hurriedly stepped into the brush and ducked down, hoping to obscure his position. Immediately he felt a sharp pang in his side and looked down. The bush he had chosen for a hiding place had very mean looking leaves, like a dagger. They were very sharp, sharp enough to break his skin. "Shit." He said a little too loud. Carefully, he peeked over the bush and breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the Antarians too far away to hear him. A shiver of fear ran up his spine but he ignored it staying as still as possible hoping that he wouldn't be discovered.

A few minutes later, Jesse held his breath and willed them to pass. He watched and listened but, although they seemed to be holding a conversation, neither spoke. 'It must be some kind of telepathy.' He thought, starting to relax a bit as they passed.

He waited a few more moments and then cautiously stuck his head out just in time to see a hand of one of the two Antarians complete a sharp blow to his head. Dizzily he fell backwards and all went black.

Max and Michael nodded their thanks to the servant who just handed them both a cup of tea. Michael took a sip then stretched his back and rubbed his eyes. With the help of the Orralat, Maria had been able to doze the past few hours. Michael was adamant about sitting by her side through it all.

It was only after Maria had fallen asleep again that the doctor, Sebona, and Max insisted he needed a break. He'd decided that a walk down the hall to stretch his legs might do him some good. Now back at Maria's door and feeling refreshed a bit, Michael knew it had been a good idea. 

Max stood trying to focus on Michael, but his mind kept wandering as he glanced up and down the corridor searching for any sign of Liz. At first, he had just been relieved to be away from the commotion of birthing babies but now, he realized he had also hoped to catch a glimpse of the woman he loved.

Silently, Max berated himself for his thoughts, knowing his concentration should be on Maria and Michael. He knew if he were going to stay true to his goal, he should avoid Liz at all costs. But now that she was here on Antar, he had doubts that he would be able to keep the promise he had made to himself — to save her from anymore pain. Checking once more on the still empty hallway, Max forced his full attention back to Michael. "Are you doing ok?"

Michael nodded. "Just tired." He took a long drink. "Do babies always take so long?"

Max shrugged.

"Look Max, thanks for staying. I feel better . . . " His sentence was cut short by a loud cry from the other side of the door.

Maria had woke from a restless nap with fear surging through her. "The baby!" She yelled. "What's wrong with the baby!" Scanning the room as best she could she continued her hysterics. "Michael? Where is Michael!"

In a panic, Michael shoved the drink at Max and ran into the room with Max on his heels. "I'm right here. What's the matter?" He said as he came to her side and took her hand in his. 

With fear in her eyes, Maria looked up at him. "I can't feel the baby Michael! Something's wrong!"

Trying to be reassuring, but at the same time staring at Sebona questioning, Michael answered. "Nothing's wrong sweetheart. The baby is fine."

Sebona made her way to Maria's other side and rubbed her arm soothingly. "Your child is fine my lady. At this moment he is doing his duty, struggling to come into the world."

Unconvinced, Maria shook her head. "There's no pain! I should feel pain!" She looked back towards Michael. "You should hear my mom talk about giving birth. She always use to tell me how terrible it was; how I should stay away from men until I was damn sure I wanted to experience the pain!"

Michael laughed remembering how Amy use to get when she thought Maria was following in her footsteps.

Maria was not amused. "Don't you dare laugh at me, Michael Guerin!"

Immediately the laughter left Michael's face. "I wasn't. I was . . ."

"Yes you were! My God, our baby's in trouble — something is wrong and you're laughing!"

Unaccustomed to anyone speaking to a royal that way, Sebona was stunned into silence for a few moments. When she recovered she tried to explain. "The Orralat," she motioned towards the man who stood at the head of Maria's bed, "is pulling the pain from you into him. That is why you do not feel any unpleasantness."

"No you're wrong!" Maria yelled as she shook her head violently, "There is something wrong with my baby!" 

Sebona nodded to the man and he drew his hand from Maria's face, instantly allowing the pain to surge through her.

Maria's face twisted and her eyes watered. "OH GOD!" She said as she dug her fingernails into Michael's hand. "It hurts, it hurts! PLEASE make it stop!"

Motioning to the man to continue, Sebona rubbed Maria's shoulder gently. "See, everything is just as it should be."

With the Orralat back in position, the pain was once again subsiding. Maria took a long, deep breath and tried to turn her head towards the man behind her. "Thank you."

"It is my pleasure, my lady." The man whispered.

Sebona smiled down at her. "This way, without pain, is much better."

Maria nodded her agreement as she looked over at Sebona. "You Antarians are a lot different then Earthlings. On Earth a man could never deal with so much pain?"

Laughing, Sebona whispered into Maria's ear. "He has the soul of a woman."

Jesse was brought back to consciousness by a sturdy slap to his face. Bringing his hand to his sore head, Jesse forced himself to sit up. "What the hell?"

"Get up." Alex said forcefully. "We can't stay here."

Seeing the alien again, Jesse's resentment started to build once more. "What are you doing here?"

Alex ignored his question, reaching down to help him up, but Jesse pushed his hand away. "I can do it," he said as he started to stand but, still dizzy from the beating he received, he fell back down. Alex rolled his eyes and reached again. This time, Jesse angrily took his hand.

Alex turned to walk into a wooded area on the side of the road, expecting Jesse to follow. But instead Jesse stayed firmly planted next to the road. Exasperated, Alex turned back towards the human. "That road is not safe."

Jesse shrugged off the warning and looked the alien in the eyes. "Well, I am going to find my wife or die trying."

"If you stay on that road I can promise you that you_ will_ die trying." When Jesse didn't move, Alex took a deep breath. "Fine. I will take you with me as I _try_ to rescue the princess, but you will follow _my_ orders and I am not responsible if anything happens to you."

Feeling as if he had won a major battle, Jesse nodded his agreement.

Both Michael and Maria were finally calm. Michael was sitting at her side, holding her hand and whispering lovingly in her ear. Max stood in the corner of the room feeling useless. He knew he was there for Michael but he also realized that he was not needed. Sebona and her helpers had everything under control

Watching the couple made Max's heart ache. He saw in them what he craved, but would never have. If he could only cherish Liz the way Michael cherished Maria, the way Liz deserved to be cherished. But he knew it was not to be. He had a feeling that Liz, if given the choice, would choose him. She would choose to sacrifice everything, her friends, her family, her home, and even her dignity for him. But he would not give her that choice, he would not ask for any more sacrifices from her. He loved her too much for that.

Michael pulled Maria's hand to his lips and kissed it softly. Unable to watch what he could not have, Max turned his head and stared at a painting on the wall. 

Sebona put her hand on Maria's contracting stomach then looked at her helper. "It is almost time."

The helper, Esa, found her way to the end of the bed and nodded towards Sebona.

Sebona looked at Maria. "The Orralat will ease off just enough for you to feel the desire to push. When that happens, push with all you possess, and in a few moments your child will be in your arms."

Ready to meet her child but still a little scared Maria looked into Michael's eyes for strength, then nodded her understanding to Sebona. 

Sebona signaled to the man who had helped Maria with her pain and almost immediately Maria felt the need to push. The man still had his hand on her face so the discomfort was minimal but she still squeezed Michael's hand as he urged her on. After bearing down just a few times, Maria felt the pressure ease and then heard her baby cry.

"Praise be, you have a healthy son." Sebona sang as she took the child from Esa and placed it in Maria's arms.

"Praise be." The two other Antarian's mimicked.

Michael had tears of joy and relief in his eyes as he leaned over and kissed Maria's forehead. "He's beautiful. I love you."

Consumed with love, Maria looked up at him and then back down into the eyes of the beautiful baby boy she had almost lost and joined in the chorus. "Praise be."

Max smiled at the happy couple now entranced by their new baby and knew this was his opportunity to make his exit. He walked over to Michael and patted him on the back. He made a comment to Maria about how beautiful her baby was and quickly walked towards the door.

"Where is Liz?" Maria asked just as he got to the door.

Max stopped to answer. "She's across the hall. Would you like me to send her over here?"

Sebona spoke up. "Not just yet, sire. We must get our new mother and her child cleaned and prepared before they receive any visitors."

Maria started to disagree, but then decided that Sebona was right.

Max smiled over at Maria reassuringly. "I will send her over in a little while."

"Thank you." Maria answered as Max walked out of the room.

Hours later, Jesse walked along with the Antarian, wondering how long the two of them could continue on this quest together and not speak to each other. He would have tried to make small talk with anyone else but something told him that this alien didn't want to talk to him and he thought it better not to push his luck.

He looked up at the bright sky and cursed the suns that hung overhead. How could anyone tell what time of day it was when it was always light? 

Alex seemed to read Jesse's mind. "It is near dusk." He pointed to one of the suns. "See how the greatest star is lower and the sky is almost lavender, it will be below the horizon soon and the smaller star will begin to lower itself in the sky. At that point the sky will only have muted light in it much like Earth's white nights."

Jesse nodded his head. He had never been far enough north to experience a white night but he had seen film of it. It always seemed as if there was an eerie calm to it and that was what he was beginning to feel now.

"We will have to stop soon."

"There will still be light." Jesse argued. "We can continue."

Alex shook his head. "You need to rest and since I had to leave so quickly," he looked up at Jesse making sure he understood that it was his fault, "I must have time to finish my plans."

Realizing that the alien was right, Jesse continued to walk passively behind him, eventually losing himself in his thoughts. Knowing that this alien had saved him from his earlier attackers and also realizing that he had the power to make sure Jesse wouldn't have followed, his resentment began to fade. Finally Jesse overcame his uneasiness about talking to the man and asked, "What is your name?"

Alex considered the question for a moment before he answered. "Rand. My name is Rand."

Jesse walked a few more feet, and then stopped. When Alex turned, Jesse looked firmly into the man's eyes. "Thank you Rand."

Max lifted his hand to knock as he had done umpteen times before, but then he dropped it. Running his fingers through his hair, he laughed sardonically, thinking of all the people he had frightened, all the battles he had fought — one hateful look from Liz shouldn't bother him.

"Get a grip Max, you're just tired." He mumbled dismissing his reluctance. He forced himself to lift his hand once again, this time making contact with the door.


	6. Chapter 33

Part 33

When the door didn't open right away, Max thought about turning around, leaving and telling one of the many minions to go tell Liz about the new baby. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. Even if he couldn't put his arms around her and touch her, hold her like he wanted, he still wanted — maybe even needed — to see her; to look into her eyes and assure himself that what he saw earlier was nothing more then a figment of his imagination. Maybe he only saw what he believed to be true not what was actually true. It wasn't as if that hadn't happened before. He reached towards the door once more.

Hearing the second knock, Liz shot up. "What the…" She swung her feet over the side of the bed and tried to shake the fog of sleep from her mind. Looking around the room, she remembered where she was. Antar . . . she was on Antar . . . Maria . . . Maria was having a baby. She had fallen asleep. Shaking her hair out of her face she jumped off the bed and ran to the door. 

On the other side of the door Max argued out loud with himself. "It would be better if you just left, Max. It doesn't matter if what you saw is the truth or not, in fact, it is probably better if it was. Liz would probably have an easier time moving on that way."

As she reached for the handle she paused, sensing that Max was the one on the other side of the door. This caused feelings of pain and fear. Not that she was scared of him but, she didn't want to see him — he had made his decision and now they both had to live with it. If she opened that door and looked into his eyes she might see something that she would interpret as love and that would give her hope, hope that he would only crush again.

The only protection she could find from that thinking was anger but now, needing to know what was happening with Maria, she pushed it to the back of her mind. Max would tell her what was going on and leave and that would be that.

Almost convinced that he needed to leave, he took a small step back and turned only to hear the door creak open behind him.

As she opened the door, she saw him starting to walk away. Part of her wanted to let him go, but her concern about Maria and the baby caused her to stop him. "Max?"

He froze when he heard her voice. 'I suppose this is fate's decision,' he thought. Taking a deep breath he ran his hand once more through his hair as he turned towards her.

Disheveled and beautiful, Liz stood before him keeping her eyes level. "Maria? The baby? Are they alright?" She asked with a tinge of coldness.

Max frowned at the tone of her voice but didn't say anything. He nodded his head. "She had a boy less then a half hour ago. They're both fine. She asked for you but, she needs some time so you are supposed to wait for a while before going in to see her."

Still staring at his chest, Liz nodded and forced out a thank you. Wanting to get away from him as soon as she could, she started to shut the door.

Without thought, Max pressed his hand against the door to prevent it from closing. "Liz?" What he wanted to say next was 'Look at me dammit!' but instead he just asked, "Can we talk?"

Trying to be patient, he waited for what seemed to be an eternity for her to answer — to nod her head — something. And hell, she still wouldn't even look into his eyes. He didn't know why that mattered so much to him – this brief encounter had convinced him that what he saw earlier had indeed been the truth – but it did matter. As she stood relatively still, he could see the anger now rising in her face.

Liz took a deep breath. Her first reaction to his question had been to tell him no . . . to insist that he leave. But anger . . . anger that _should have_ been resolved over the years all came to a head at that moment.

Clearing her throat, she finally gave Max what he wanted and looked directly into his eyes. Eyes that had always caused her to swoon, eyes she had always sought for strength, comfort, security and love but at this moment those were all gone and so was the effect. "What do you want to talk about, Max?" Barely pausing, she really didn't give him a chance to answer. "I know, we could talk about how you wouldn't believe me when I told you that Alex was murdered; how you tried to control me and everyone else during the weeks that followed!" Hearing her voice rise she almost reined in her fury but at this point she just didn't give a damn. "How you fucked a murderous bitch!"

"Dammit . . ." Max groaned.

Not about to let him interrupt her rant, Liz cut him off. "Or would you rather talk about something more recent!" Liz stood on her tiptoes and leaned towards him in a confrontational manner. She could see the frustration in his face, the beginning of anger in his eyes. But she wasn't about to back down, not now . . . not anymore. "Let's discuss how you gave up on me when I went missing! How you believed I did the unthinkable! Then how you proceeded to blame ME for everything you did wrong in your pathetic alien life!"

Max tightened his fists, trying hard not to explode. He knew eventually this moment would come, but why now . . . when they were both so exhausted, so emotional? Of course he realized on some level that their mind set was exactly the reason it had come now, but understanding that did not stop the rage that was building.

"If none of those topics appeal to you we could talk about how you have kept everything from me, including my life, under some stupid guise of protecting me! How you have treated me, as well as everyone else, like second-class citizens! Let's talk about how you left Maria and her unborn child on Earth to die! How you spend the last few months pretending to still love me only to take off without a second thought to my feelings, then giving Serena orders to destroy the granolith so you didn't have to deal with the nuisance of me finding you!"

Taking a deep breath, Liz opened her mouth to continue, but Max had heard enough. He was going to have his say.

"So that's it?" He began trying to keep his voice level. "It's not about any of my mistakes. It's all about how I left you!"

Liz started to slam the door in his face, but Max stepped between the door and the frame.

"We are not finished!" He growled.

"The hell we aren't! We are completely finished!" She yelled, trying with all her might to close the door in his face. "I loved you . . . you didn't love me . . . so now it's over."

He tried to stop himself but his thoughts just tumbled out. "You didn't love me first!"

Liz jerked her head back in surprise. "What the hell kind of argument is that?"

"You're the one who pretended to sleep with Kyle . . . you're the one who left first."

"You should have believed in me!"

Max laughed sarcastically. "What . . . like you did! You couldn't believe in me or our love enough to tell me about what was happening! That was YOUR choice and you can't blame anyone but yourself for it!"

Liz let go of the door and pointed at him. "You asked me to do it!"

Feeling the urge to strangle her, Max willed his arms to his side. "I never asked you any such thing! I begged you to tell me the truth! BUT, NO…! Over and over again you just lied to my face!" For her sake, Max took a step back, trying to put a safe distance between them.

Liz shook her head violently. "It was you Max! It was your face, your eyes, YOU! You asked me to do it! So don't tell me I didn't love you. I loved you . . . I loved you enough . . ."

". . . to lie!" He finished. "And now you are mad because . . . why? Because I didn't crawl into a hole and hope that you would someday realize the error of your ways and come back to me to proclaim your undying love!"

"No I wouldn't have wanted that, but you didn't have to give up on love!" She saw the smirk on his face as she said that but she ignored it. "You didn't have to turn away from your family, your friends, your humanity! You didn't have to become a monster!"

Surging with anger, Max grabbed her arms and shook her. "But I did! Everything you are saying is the truth . . . I gave up on you . . . I gave up on love . . . I gave up on humanity! I am everything you hate! I admit it! I am the monster!

"Let go of me!" She screamed as she tried to pull away. Realizing that his grip was too tight, she turned her head from him as she fought back tears of anger and frustration.

"LOOK AT ME!" He yelled as he grabbed her chin and turned her eyes back towards him. "Would you like to see it Liz! Everything! All the sins I've committed! All the pain I've caused! Do you want to relive the horror that you endured! Do you want to see how knowing and loving me has caused you NOTHING but pain!" He moved his hands to the sides of her face, preparing to connect with her . . . to show her once and for all the true face of the monster . . . the monster she was better off without.


	7. Chapter 34

Another Disclaimer: Still of the Night is written by David Coverdale & John Sykes.

Part 34

Hours had gone by but Alden, Serena and Jim still sat waiting in the granolith chamber.

"How long are we gonna wait here?" Alden asked as he took a swig of his beer.

Serena looked across the granolith chamber at Jim's pain stricken face. "He lost his son. What do you want me to do? Tell him to go to bed and all will seem better in the morning."

Alden shrugged. "Sounds like a good idea to me. Some of us don't have forever to sit around and wait."

"And what the hell do you have to do that is so damn important?" Serena asked accusingly.

"What? I'm just saying we did what we set out to do here. Your insane alien friends are all on their planet or wherever."

She knew Alden was just bored and tired of sitting on the hard floor, staring at the space where the granolith had once been, but she was still annoyed. "Sometimes you are so damn insensitive."

"I know." Alden admitted as he lifted his beer once more, and looked over at Jim. "I'm just ready to go home…"

"Well no one is stopping you." Serena said cutting him off.

Alden rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right."

"Fuck you."

"You too." Alden said smiling. "You want a beer?"

Serena shook her head while noticing Jim getting up from his place on the floor. He walked over to where they sat and looked down with bloodshot eyes. "Look, I'm going to go find a place to sleep." He looked over at where the granolith had been once more. "I suppose if they come back soon they will know where to find us."

Serena nodded her head in agreement as Alden pushed himself up.

"Do you really think they're alright?" Jim asked again as he had over and over during the past few hours.

"I really do." Serena answered looking Jim in the eyes. "Go, get some sleep. If they come back you will know."

Jim forced a smile and nodded then walked from the room.

Alden reached down to pull Serena off the floor. "They are fine. Max, Michael and Ava will take care of them."

"I know they will." Serena sighed. "As long as they all ended up in the same place and time."

"Ser . . . you worry too much." Alden tried to reassure her. "I'm sure they did."

"I hope so." She said as she stared at the granolith's empty space once again before turning towards Alden. "Want to go for a drive?"

"What?" Alden asked surprised.

Serena shrugged. "There's 2000 pounds of American muscle outside and I want to drive it. Plus, I need to get the rest of the money. No need to keep any extra people around."

"What the hell does the money matter? They can talk all they want. If some government goons come snooping they will just think this is just another crazy cult's compound or something."

Serena put her hands on her hips. "I promised."

Rolling his eyes, Alden reached for the few beers that were left. "Whatever, but I'm not driving."

Laughing, Serena agreed. "That was never in question."

An hour later they were speeding down the dark and deserted road to Roswell in Max's Chevelle listening to music.

_In the Still of the Night__  
__I hear the wolf howl, honey__  
__Sniffing around your door__  
__In the Still of the Night__  
__I feel my heart beating heavy__  
__Telling me I gotta have more_

_  
__In the shadow of night__  
__I see the full moon rise__  
__Telling me what¹s in store__  
__My heart start aching__  
__My body start a shaking__  
__An¹ I can¹t take no more___

_Now I just wanna get close to you__  
__An¹ taste your love so sweet__  
__An¹ I just wanna make love to you__  
__Feel your body heat___

_In the Still of the Night__  
__In the Still of the Night_

_In the heat of the day__  
__I hang my head down low__  
__An¹ hide my face from the sun__  
__Thru the light of the day__  
__Until the evening time__  
__I¹m waiting for the night to come___

_In the Still of the Night__  
__In the cool moonlight__  
__I feel heart is aching__  
__In the Still of the Night___

_In the Still of the Night__  
__I hear the wolf howl, honey__  
__Sniffing around your door__  
__In the Still of the Night__  
__I feel my heart beating heavy__  
__Telling me I gotta have more___

_Now I just wanna get close to you__  
__An¹ taste your love so sweet__  
__An¹ I just wanna make love to you__  
__Feel your body heat___

_In the Still of the Night_

As the music stopped Alden looked over at the speedometer and raised an eyebrow.

"What!" Serena asked pretending to be annoyed.

"146? Kind of fast, don't you think?"

"Screw you!"

Alden laughed as he reached into a sack to grab another beer. "We have a few hours until daylight and we can't do anything until then so let's stop and look at the stars."

Serena looked over at his beer supply. "You only have one beer left."

"I will try to survive." He said, winking at her. "Can't get any 'til the stores open anyway."

Nodding, Serena pulled the car over into the desert.

Alden made a big production of jumping out of the car and kissing the sand at his feet, only to get some in his mouth.

Serena laughed as he spit and sputtered, trying to wash it out with another swig of his beer. "Serves your ass right." She said, getting out of the car.

Alden tried to pretend a stern look but instead smiled. It had been a while since he had seen Serena really laugh and a little taste of sand was a small price to pay to see her eyes smile again. Maybe because her smile was so infectious, maybe because the tension had been so unbearable these last few months, or maybe because he had always loved her, he was suddenly struck with a desire to kiss her.

Almost as quickly as it appeared the smile disappeared and Serena made her way around the back of the car and jumped up on the trunk.

Silently, Alden walked back over to the car and sat down next to her trying to quell the feelings that were intensifying in him.

They sat in silence for a while until finally Serena looked over at Alden. "I don't know how much longer I can stay."

Understanding, Alden nodded his head. Serena was never one to stay in one place for very long. Sure, she had always had the house in New Orleans . . . he winced thinking that now the one stable thing in her life was gone . . . but even if that was her home she would still go through restless periods where she had to just disappear, go somewhere new. That was something that Max hadn't understood when he had taken her. Because it was that time for her, he had actually done her a favor. And now, even with her concern for her new friends, that desire was beginning to return.

Saddened at the realization, Alden looked over at her. He hated to think that she would disappear from his life once again and who knew when she would return. He watched as she looked wide eyed at the stars, knowing that she wished she were with her new friends, galaxies away from here on a new adventure.

That awareness did nothing to help his situation. As he turned towards her just in time to see her wet her lips, he wanted to be with her that much more. Convinced that he needed to get his desires under control, Alden jumped off the car and took a few steps away from her, praying that would help.

Oblivious, Serena asked, "What's wrong?"

Alden didn't turn to look at her right away. Instead he shook his hair out of his face and looked up once again at the stars. "I wonder if we can see their planet from here."

Serena knew his musing was just a tactic to avoid her question but she was never one to get distracted. "Alden," she said forcefully, "what's the matter?"

Taking another swig of his beer, he turned to look at her. That was when time stopped as he studied her in the moonlight. Did she know how beautiful she was? He doubted it. God, he had to stop thinking this way.

Interrupting his thoughts, Serena asked again, "What?"

Overcome by an urgency he knew was wrong, Alden threw his beer down and quickly closed the distance between them. Grabbing her by the nape of her neck, he pulled her roughly to him and engulfed her mouth with his.

Feeling his desire, she fell quickly into the kiss, letting her tongue reach his. Caught up in the passion, she wrapped her arms around his waist and her legs around his thighs pulling him greedily towards her.

Wanting to savor this moment, Alden forced himself to slow down. The kiss becoming less intense and more sensual, Alden reached up and began to unbutton her blouse. That was when Serena's senses began to return and she pulled her body, ever so slightly, away from his. As he continued to unbutton her blouse, she looked thoughtfully into his eyes and brushed a tendril of hair from his face.

He smiled down at her, but when she didn't respond in kind the smiled disappeared and he asked, "What?"

Serena wanted this and she knew he did too, but a nagging fear caused her to stop. She didn't want him to deal with the guilt once it was over. "This could get complicated."

"So?" Alden challenged.

Looking at the ground though the space that was now between them she mumbled, "You hate complicated."

Alden smiled as moved his mouth to her ear and whispered, "You Sera, are the only person in the world that I would knowingly complicate my life for." He kissed her softly behind her ear and then pulled away to look into her eyes. He saw in them the allure of complete surrender. Only love would have given him more joy.

Just before Jesse heard the high pitched screech Alex yelled, "HIDE!"

Jesse followed Rand into some bushes. They stunk but at least they didn't have sharp leaves. He looked over at Rand who placed his hand on Jesse while motioning him to be as still and quiet as possible. A small shock went through Jesse's body making him fight to stay silent but he did. A few moments Jesse looked up to see a small silver disk shaped craft zoom overhead. He looked over at Rand, questioning with his eyes.

Alex shook his head, waiting. But Jesse didn't know what he was waiting for – the craft and the noise had both disappeared. After a few tense minutes, Alex stood cautiously and looked around while Jesse stayed in his hiding place. Finally Alex reached down to Jesse to help him up, then explained. "They are," he paused for a moment, trying to find the right translation, "kind of like manned satellites. Although they are more advanced then the satellites on earth, they combine thermal and magnetic resonance imaging to scan for threats. They also have an advanced Electro encephalogram on board that can detect brain waves and patterns."

Nodding, Jesse looked down at Rand's hand still resting on him.

Letting go Alex explained the action. "I was attempting to lower your visibility."

"What if they found us?" Jesse questioned, knowing he probably didn't want to know the answer.

Alex answered nonchalantly. "They would kill us."

"Oh."

Looking over at a very pale Jesse, Alex wondered if Isabel's husband could handle what might lie ahead. "Are you alright?"

Jesse nodded and Alex pointed towards a wall a few hundred feet in front of them. "That is the wall to the royal city. We will have to stop here and wait until nightfall to execute our plan."

From her window, Isabel looked towards the wall of the city feeling a desire to be beyond it, feeling that there, love waited. She lifted her hand to her now swollen face and dreamed of childhood fairytales of a knight coming to her rescue but then she remembered her latest encounter with Khivar.

_He had opened the door to her room and closed the distance between them in an instant. The menacing look in his eyes should have told her to be afraid but up until that moment he had only been the most gracious of captors. She hadn't even cowered when he lifted his hand to strike. _

_With the force of the blow, she had fallen to the floor where she stayed as he told her of his plans._

"You are no longer my Vilandra." He had said. "You have let your human side prevail. A sin the Antarian Empire cannot condone. You will be tried and when you are found guilty you will be put to death."

He then walked away, leaving her to dream of being saved by a valiant prince on a white steed. Dreams which seemed to fade with each passing moment as she wondered if any knight or prince could prevail against her ruthless captor. She stopped her childish fantasies and looked around the room, searching for ideas. If a hero was not coming then she must find a way to escape on her own.

"How about Fredrick?" Michael asked.

Maria's head snapped up to look into Michael's eyes. "You want me to call my son Fred?"

"It was the name of the guy who eventually found me when I was a kid. He was nice."

"Ok fine. We will call him Michael Fredrick then."

It was Michael's turn to disagree. "How many times to I have to say it? We are not naming him after me!"

Still in the room, cleaning up, Sebona smiled at the couple's bickering. Realizing that parents were the same on any planet filled her with hope. Maybe Earthlings really weren't all that different from Antarians. And maybe King Zan, even if he was part human could bring her planet back from the destruction that Khivar had caused. She finally spoke up. "Rath's father's name was Gloclath.

In unison the couple answered. "Um – no."

Sebona shrugged as Michael and Maria giggled at each other.

Finally Maria rolled her eyes. This had been going on for way too long. "Let's not name him after anyone."

"Fine with me. He deserves his own name."

That was something they both could agree on — their baby being unique.

"How about Adam?" Maria asked.

"Adam." Michael repeated thoughtfully. He was the first child born between the two races, it kind of made sense, and besides there weren't any nicknames for it. "I can live with Adam. Any ideas for a middle name?"

Maria let out a frustrated sigh. "Here we go again."

Liz lifted her hands to his arms and tried to pull them down away from her face but Max would not give in. Instead his eyes focused on her as she twisted her head avoiding his gaze. "I said LOOK at me!"

She stopped and focused on his chest. This is what she wanted. Why was she fighting him? She took a deep breath, bracing herself for the worst then turned her eyes and glared at him defiantly.

As he looked into her eyes a wave of guilt passed over him almost causing him to tear himself away. But he didn't – and as he focused the connection came instantly. No darkness to pass though, no walls to break down, only her, only the connection that he had thought he would do without for the rest of his life.

But the connection didn't begin as it had in the past. He felt no love, no understanding – just anger - her anger – greedily invading his mind. He relived the past few minutes through her eyes. He saw himself as she saw him, as the monster he had always known he had become. Knowing that everything he was about to show her would serve to reinforce this belief that she had, he tried to break the connection.

As he tried to pull away, Liz felt the fear that Max now experienced. Fear that she no longer loved him and therefore would never be able to accept what he had done. Instinctively she showed him the way to the love the anger only hid. Once again, through his eyes, she experienced the day he healed her. The paralyzing fear that came over him when he realized she had been shot; how reason had left him and all he could think about was saving her life. She felt his heart race as he tried to heal her; as he begged a god he did not believe existed to bring her back. She let the flash play out knowing that he was reliving that day through her eyes.

That was when the true connection began. Max felt himself fall into the awaiting love as the memory of the day their souls had first met played out. He knew, no matter how hard he tried, he would not be able to stop. It was like a drug pulling an addict from his sobriety. His mind — her mind — neither was sure which was guiding them toward their past. Small misunderstandings were sorted out causing only the best of times to swirl together into a glorious reliving of the love they had shared.

Until, like a silent intruder, the pain subtly swirled within the mix. The love was being chipped away just like it had years before when it had first happened. Liz finally felt his horror at seeing her in bed with Kyle. He'd had such great expectations for them, his dreams all wrapped up in that night only to be crushed by the scene. Tears blurred her vision as she watched him wander aimlessly around the town, finally happening on a bench in the park where he collapsed. She felt his despair as he wondered how he could go on without her. Wanting it to stop, she closed her eyes but the connection was now too strong. When she opened them once again, she looked into his now pain ridden gaze. She finally understood how Tess had wormed her way into his life. She had been the only one to listen, the only one to pretend to care. Tess had been a life raft for him, the only saving grace in a sea of desolation.

Max saw the scene differently. Watching himself make his case to her, he understood why she had done what he had asked. He could not see himself and the man he saw speaking to her as the same person, but he knew she had. What she had done, she did for him, for the friends they shared, and for both of their worlds. Even though he knew it couldn't happen, he hoped the scene would play out differently. That she would come to him and tell him the truth, that they would find another way without the pain. It was then that he realized that no matter how painful the truth would be, he could not stop. He would not do the same to her by keeping her in the dark. He would let her see it all, giving her the knowledge to make her own destiny.

They were both shocked when the scene changed. Alex died and the worst of times began. Once again he was consumed with her pain and anger. Even though these emotions were from years before, because of her loss of memory, they were still fresh in her mind. Despair consumed her as she remembered her best friend dying.

Max's pain was so different. Liz mentally entered the coroner's van with Max, obsessed with his need to save Alex. Not for himself but for Isabel and . . . for Liz. Guilt ridden, he already believed he had failed her, since he had, even for the briefest moment, given in to Tess. And now as he placed his hand on Alex's mangled body she could feel his intent not to fail her again. Liz watched as he desperately searched for a connection, searched for a way in and when it didn't come he tried, over and over again, by the sheer force of only his will, to save Alex anyway. His sorrow flowed through her as he came out of the van and walked to his awaiting friends. His horror at his worthless hand covered with Alex's blood. He had looked to her, wanting to comfort her, begging her to forgive him but neither happened.

He had known then that it was unreasonable to expect anything more from her, but now, immersed in her emotions, he saw with clarity her pain and the numbness that had followed as she tried to escape it. He understood why she had been so driven during the following weeks to find Alex's killer. She had wanted answers — answers that would take the blame she assigned to herself, and even to him, away. Knowing he had just reinforced her belief, he cringed as he remembered telling her that it was her fault that Alex had died.

Now was not the time to berate himself. He took control and led her into his world. A world without her.


End file.
